The Lost Boy
by alwaysxsaidsnape
Summary: It's 19 years later, Draco is married with a son when he runs into Hermione and finds himself face to face with an 18 year old secret. AU
1. Remnants of a Lost Love

This story was inspired by a good friend of mine.  
>I'm writing it for her.<br>Each addition will be accompanied by a graphic that it was inspired by.  
>See the series on my tumblr account first, as I update there more often.<p>

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><p>Draco Malfoy stood outside of Flourish and Blott's, his leg propped up against the wall and that devil-may-care attitude visible on his pale face. Blonde hair slicked back and out of his face, nineteen years had been good to him despite the slightly receding hairline. His gray eyes were sharp and malicious as ever as he looked up at Goyle, who stood across from him, with a smirk on his thin lips. The two men were laughing at the stories they were exchanging, both of their wives were inside the bookstore gathering all the supplies their first year children would need for the upcoming year at Hogwarts.<p>

He had been there for close to an hour and couldn't have been bothered to look at the people entering or even exiting the store. Instead, he kept his gaze on Gregory and continued swapping stories with him. In the midst of a chuckle the smile on his face seemed to fade when he caught the sound of laughter that he was used to only hearing in his dreams. The other male faded into the background as he turned his head to catch sight of two people walking next to one another. One was a slim, beautiful woman and the other a tall, handsome boy, both of them with their dark brown hair and warm brown eyes.

Mouth dry, Draco Malfoy didn't know what to think as he looked into the woman's face. There was no denying that it was in fact Hermione Granger, even if she didn't look like herself there was no mistaking her laugh. The very laugh he used to do anything to hear, but now it kind of ached to have it surrounding him. She was still the beautiful, brown-eyed woman that she had been when they had their affair. But he forced himself to look away from her so to study the boy next to her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as he gave her a sidelong hug

He was almost a foot taller than Hermione and Draco could tell just by the color of his eyes and hair that they were related. Their smiles mirrored one another as Hermione swatted him away; he laughed much like her and jumped away from her. Draco had been too busy staring to stop when Hermione looked up at him and caught his gaze. She stopped dead in her tracks; the boy caught off guard took a couple of more steps away from her before coming to a stop as well. He followed her gaze and looked to Draco, quirking a brow at him.

"Mum, what's the matter?" He asked as he looked away from the stranger and back to his mother.

Hermione was struck silent for few more moments before she blinked and put on a smile for her son, her eyes finding his.

"Nothing, Sebastian."

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

"More like a ghost of an old friend," Draco interrupted as he kicked off the wall without a word, leaving Gregory looking after him with a confused expression. He came to stop in front of the mother-son pair, his hand out in offering to the young man. "Surely, she's talked about me at some point or another. Draco Malfoy."

Sebastian blinked in confusion before taking the strangers hand and giving it a firm shake, glancing over his shoulder to his mother.

"Can't say that she has, mate, but alright. The name is Seb Granger," he said and released the man's hand.

It would have been a lie for Draco to say his heart didn't sink a bit at the boys confession and he couldn't help the slight glare that he threw at Hermione. She was avoiding his gaze and before he could garner it, Sebastian had sidestepped between the two of them. He was acting as a barrier between his mother and this man that had called himself her friend.

A serious expression was etched into the boy's sharp features, his skin a shade paler than Hermione's and his bone structure far more defined than hers. Pointed nose turned down at him and thin mouth pressed firmly together in seriousness. The way Seb's brows knitted together told the fact that he was indeed his mother's son, but there was something in his face that told another story all together. Draco had straightened up because he was not going to be looked down upon by a child, his gray eyes burning into Sebastian's brown ones.

"Seb, my love, it's quite alright," Hermione urged softly, her hand on his elbow. "He means no harm in it, perhaps you should go in and get your books. You have a long list this year considering it's your last."

For a moment the two men stared each other down before Seb turned his face to his mother, a small smirk on his lips as he watched Draco from the corner of his eye. It was that smirk that hit Draco like a ton of bricks to the chest, all the features coming together perfectly in that moment from that angle. He could see himself in that boy, from the long fine hair that was far darker than his hair or sharp point in his nose and even height in his cheekbones. There was no denying it, Sebastian Granger was his son.


	2. Like Father Like Son

The moment that Sebastian disappeared into the confines of Flourish and Blott's Draco took that as his cue to step closer to Hermione. Sure, there was electricity between them threatening to spark a wildfire, but he was doing his best to ignore it as he glared at her. His anger was far more powerful than his attraction to her, but before he could say anything he turned to look at Gregory and nodded for him to leave. Goyle didn't need to be told twice, the wide shouldered man merely shrugged and walked furthered own the cobbled path.

Draco turned back around to look at Hermione, his eyes boring into hers as if he were trying to get inside of her head. The young woman took a deep breath and set her shoulders firmly to prove the fact that she wasn't going to back down just because he was angry.

"Is he my son?" Draco asked, wasting no time at all.

"Does it matter, Draco? It wouldn't change a thing," Hermione said as evenly as she could manage.

"It bloody well matters to me, if he is my son then I should know."

"Yes, he is your son."

"Why didn't you tell me, Hermione? Why did you just leave if you were pregnant? I'd have-"

"You'd have what? Whisked me away to some god forsaken castle in France where no one would find me or your son? I wasn't going to let you keep me a secret and certainly wasn't going to let you keep my son a secret too."

"You're daft if you think things are so simple."

"They are. Sebastian is my pride and my joy, I love him more than anything and I refuse to raise him as some secret abomination all because his father isn't man enough to go against his upbringing."

Draco's face flushed red with anger at her statement, his hands were nearly trembling at this point but he refused to give her the satisfaction of getting further under his skin. The hair at the back of his neck prickled with the anger that was burning up his face, but he took a slow breath through his nostrils and released it just as slowly so to remind himself not to shout or get too riled up.

"It's easy for you to say. You have no expectations put on you. You're a mudblood and that means no one expects a damn thing from you, I have other expectations on me."

Hermione bristled at being referred to by that old insult, but she merely gritted her teeth and glared up at him.

"I expect things from me; I expect to be treated with respect no matter my blood status. And trust I know how well you fulfilled those expectations of you. I 'd have sent you a congratulatory owl on your wedding and your son, but I wasn't so sure it'd be wise because I didn't want our dirty little secret to be figured out."

"Don't make this all my fault!" He shouted only to look around nervously as a few passersby glanced at him.

"It is your fault," Hermione seethed beneath her breath as she prodded his chest with her finger. "You chose this for the both of us. And now you have to live with the consequences of that."

"Is this your way of getting back at me for suggesting we be a secret a bit longer? Keeping my son from me and keeping a boy away from his father, seems too cruel for you."

"I learned from the best," she said angrily. "And Sebastian has grown up just fine without knowing his father; Ronald and Harry have been fantastic to him."

There must have been some cue that Draco couldn't hear because as soon as Ron's name left Hermione's lips, the red-headed man exited Flourish and Blotts with Sebastian at his side. The two of them were laughing and smiling, Sebastian holding a bag that undoubtedly held all his school books while Ronald held a few bags of his own. If he didn't know any better, Draco might have actually thought that they were father and son just by their body language and general presence.

The anger that had been subsiding roared to life in him once again, his face a rather embarrassing shade of red. Hermione looked over her shoulder to see her son and Ron standing and talking; rather glad they hadn't come running over just yet. Finally, she returned her attentions back to Draco and sighed upon recognizing the look on his face.

Draco leaned over so that he was closer to Hermione, his voice barely audible but the malicious and angry tone was obvious as he hissed into her ear.

"You have my son calling Weasley dad?"

Hermione couldn't help the sharp laugh that escaped her lips just then, taking a step back to put space between them. Eyes rolling, she crossed her arms over her chest and made sure to stand her ground.

"Don't be ridiculous. Sebastian knows that Ronald isn't his father, but he is fond of him. Ronald has always been good to Sebastian as he has always been good to me."

"You're still holding a torch for that piece of shite?"

"Don't you dare," Hermione hissed at him, her hand going out without thinking to shove him away. "Don't you dare insult Ronald to me. Don't you dare act like you're the better man. He'd have married me you know? He'd have adopted Sebastian and we would have been a family! But no!"

"If you were so hell bent on driving me off my nut then why didn't you?"

"Because unlike you I am not a spiteful creature. I don't marry out of convenience and as much as I love Ronald I could never do that to him. I could never marry him knowing my heart was elsewhere, not all of us are such excellent liars as you."

Hermione threw a glance over her shoulder to make sure that Sebastian and Ron weren't coming any closer. The two men hadn't moved yet, but just then Ron looked up so that his blue eyes caught hers. There was a soft smile on his lips that she couldn't help but to return, he had always been such a good friend to her just like Harry. Ever since the war and the birth of Sebastian, neither of her best friends had ever let her feel lonely or abandoned. Something she would always be grateful for.

"Always so high on your moral horse, Hermione," Draco said rather sarcastically as he rolled his gray eyes. "It was not so simple for me, it's not like I ever stopped loving you. I still dream about you, I still hope that I wake up back with you in my arms like I used to when we were together. I may have asked you to wait a bit longer, but look what you've done to me. That boy is my son and he doesn't even know who I am, you've never so much as mentioned me."

"I'm just keeping your secret," Hermione said under her breath, tired of this argument already. Her arms tightened around her body, she really just didn't want to do this right now.

"Damn the secret!" He shouted unable to help it. "If you won't tell him then I'll tell him myself."

"Draco, don't you dare! It's not your place!"

"Don't you dare tell me what is or is not my place!"

Draco had been in midstep as he was going to get closer to her when someone stepped between them. Once again, Sebastian had stepped in front of Hermione to shield her from Draco but this time his pointed face was contorted with malicious intent. One of his hands reaching back to touch his mother's forearm and to make sure that she remained behind him and out of Draco's immediate sight.

"Look, mate, I don't know who you bloody well think you are, but no one shouts at my mother," Sebastian said threateningly.

"Learn to respect your superiors, boy," Draco said before he could help it, inwardly cringing at how much he sounded like his father just then.

"I will when I'm talking to one, mate. Now leave, I won't have you upsetting my mother."

Behind Sebastian, Hermione looked quite solemn and pale as she glanced to her left and saw Ronald standing next to her. His blue eyes swept over her face as he reached over to squeeze her shoulder, offering the only amount of comfort that he could. But as soon as Hermione looked away from him a smile spread over his lips, unable to help it because it still sort of felt good to see Malfoy being put in his place. In fact, it felt even better to see him put in his place by someone far younger than him.

"You shouldn't talk to your –"

Hermione let out a sound stuck somewhere between a whine and a squeak, it garnered Draco's attention and he glared over Sebastian's shoulder at her.

"My what?" Sebastian demanded, stepping forward to further close the gap between them.

Draco was about to open his mouth to say something else when the door to Flourish and Blott's opened again, the bell above it ringing rather loudly. Out stepped, a petite and lean woman with long black hair and sparkling blue eyes along with a small boy with platinum blond hair and cool gray eyes. The boy turned his eyes over to them as his mother placed her hand on his shoulder to keep him from running off toward his father.

"Draco," the woman spoke gently. "We must be going, Scorpius still needs to get his wand."

The blond man looked away from his wife and child to once again meet Sebastian's gaze, but the boy wasn't backing down. They glared at each other a moment longer before Draco pushed past Sebastian so to get to his family, sparing a glare for Hermione and Ron. Hermione avoided his gaze while Ron stood there with a smile on his face as if he'd just won something. Draco would have given anything to wipe that smile off his face, but as he looked over his shoulder at Sebastian he caught sight of the young man glaring after him.


	3. Memory Lane

There was a little house in Godric's Hollow that was quaint enough for a small family, but big enough that the people living within it wouldn't feel smothered. Hermione Granger had bought this house with the Harry's help when she left Draco because he was the only one who knew about Draco at the time. It seemed like not so long ago that she had left the pureblooded boy, but she had a breathing, growing clock in the face of her son to remind her that it had been almost eighteen years since the day she left. Truth be told that it still bothered her and there were nights that Harry would come to her home and let her spill her heart out to him. He was always so good about listening to her drone on about how she missed the sweet scent of Draco's shampoo or the citrusy scent of the cologne he liked to put on in the morning.

Harry even sat through her admitting that she once purchased that very cologne after she left him just to spray it on her pillow so she could fall asleep with the scent of him around her. It was no secret that he was such a good friend to her, but he was also the reason that she sooner or later broke down and told Ron what happened. Ron hadn't been as understanding as Harry had; in fact he hadn't spoken to her for nearly six months because he'd been so hurt and angry. But Ron came around after some serious coaxing of Harry and after the first time that Ron spent time with Sebastian, it was like he had fallen in love with the little dark haired boy even if he looked so much like Draco. It used to hurt to see the look of 'what-could-have-been' on Ron's face, but soon the look faded and he married someone else and had children of his own. Though it broke her heart, Hermione was happy for him because she knew that he deserved happiness like the one that Harry had with Ginny.

Perhaps it was wrong that everyone close to her knew that Sebastian was in fact Draco's son, but Draco himself had no idea that he had another child running around. But there was no turning back now, there was no taking back what she had kept from him and so as she lay there on her stomach in her bed she couldn't find good reason to be angry as she read the owl that had been delivered only moments ago.

_Hermione,_

_A son. I have another son and you kept him from me. You knowing my biggest fear was to be the man that my father was and not take care of my children as a good father should did this to me. I never thought that you could break my heart worse than you did the day that I woke up and you were no longer there. Do you have any idea how many nights after that one that I stayed up waiting for you? I even contemplated the idea of talking to Potter to find out where you went, but I couldn't bring myself to tell your secret because he was your friend and I'm sure you hadn't told him about us at the time. But you need to know that you broke my heart again and I'm trying so hard to be angry at you again, I'm trying to pretend like I don't love you anymore, but the truth is seeing our son's face reminds me of everything that I love about you. The dark color of your hair and how it was so many shades darker than my skin when I ran my fingers through it. Those dark eyes that are filled with intelligence and fire, the very fire that lit up my world when it was falling apart. He even has your audacity, which I'm glad for. But you still should have told me because he is my son and whether or not you like it I do want to be part of his life just like I want to be a part of yours. I've always wanted to be a part of your life, that hasn't changed. Astoria or no Astoria, I love you and always have. And you know me well enough to know that I'm not going to just let this go, I can't. I have to know him and he has to know that his father does want him even if he never knew who he was. I don't want Sebastian to hate me just because he was never given the chance to know me. You owe me that much, Hermione. Eighteen years of living without you was torture enough, just give me this. Please. _

_ -D. Malfoy_

Hermione read and re-read the letter so that she could soak up everything that was said and at the end she couldn't help but feel mildly threatened. He was right, she did know him better than anyone and she knew that Draco wasn't going to give up until he got what he wanted. The thought caused her to shiver and she looked to the ring on her finger, it was a thin silver band that had a single glittering ruby about two karats winking up at her. It was supposed to be his version of a promise ring, just to remind her that one day he would remove that ring and place an engagement ring in its stead. Of course, now she no longer wore it on her left hand but instead on her right hand and she never took it off.

"Oh, Draco," she whispered to herself as her thoughts shifted to his handsome face.

It was going to be another one of those nights where she wished they were still together so she could curl up against his side and have his fingers slide through her hair. Little did Hermione know that miles and miles away, Draco Malfoy was thinking about her at that same exact moment. Recalling the way her silken strands slid through his long fingers and sighing when he opened his gray eyes to find that his hand was empty. His other hand was fiddling with a charm between his index and middle finger, he craned his neck to get a better look at it.

The charm was about the size of a galleon, silver and round with the sign of infinity etched into the metal, the words _Semper Vestri_ etched amongst the loops. A simple reminder of Hermione's promise that she would always be his, the necklace and charm were probably his most valued possessions. Draco continued to fiddle with the charm as he watched it intently, finally pushing it back down to his chest over his heart. Free hand reaching blindly about plush duvet he was currently laying on till he found what he was looking for. The parchment was smooth and almost ready to tear apart at the creases because it had been opened and closed too many times to count so that he could read the contents.

His fingers never failed to tremble lightly as he opened the letter and looked upon the perfect script that belonged to the woman he loved. There were black marks where he knew her tears had hit the parchment to smear the ink. Draco took a moment to touch each one of them before he started reading the letter for what could have been the millionth time.

_My love, My heart, My Draco, _

_ You don't know how much it breaks my heart to write this because I have wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. I have been nothing but willing to give you the chance to come to terms that it is going to be hard for us to be together. I have been willing to wait for you to become accustomed to the idea that people aren't going to condone our relationship. That is why I told you that I would tell Harry and Ron before you bothered to tell anyone who was close to you, but to have you tell me that you need more time has thoroughly reminded me of the boy you used to be. The boy was scared to love me because he didn't know how to disobey his upbringing for the one person he loved. I can't wait for that boy anymore, I can't wait for the man that I know is inside you because I'm afraid you'll be so used to keeping me a secret that there will never be a possibility for us to be anything but a secret. I love you, Draco Malfoy. I have always loved you and I will always love you. But if there is something that I have learned from being with you it's that sometimes we have to take care of ourselves first and I can't just be your secret anymore. Not when every day I wake up wanting to shout to the world that I am yours and will always be, but all you can manage to do is tell me that I must continue to be your secret because you're still scared. If I am not worth fighting your fears then I must not be worth much. Don't for a second think that I don't think you love me because I know that you do, but I cannot wait any longer. I can only hope that one day you will forgive me for this and that day will be the day you're tired of the secrets and are ready for us to be part of the world._

_ Semper Vestri, Hermione. _

Once again Draco found himself on the verge of tears when he finished off the letter because she was gone and it had been all his fault. All she wanted was for him to have courage in their relationship rather than just the cowardice that he couldn't seem to shake. His heart ached with each bit as he recalled the words. A little voice in his head tried to convince him that it was okay for him to hate her because she deserved it, but his heart swelled with love at the mere thought of her. The warmth he felt had been crawling up the back of his throat and he was about to smile when he heard the door to his room open.

Draco sat up and pressed his hand over the charm so to keep it against his heart, his grays intense as he looked to his visitor. The moment he realized who it was the smile that had been on his lips faded instantaneously and he merely sighed softly.

"What do you want, Astoria? I thought I said not to disturb me," he said lightly as he stuffed the charm back into his shirt so it could not be seen.

The very beautiful brunette woman set her wide blue eyes on her husband, feeling as if she had interrupted something important but she didn't see anyone else in the room. Then she realized that his hand was on his chest, undoubtedly protecting that charm that he never took off and the very one he would not even allow her to touch. Of course, she didn't know the story behind it but she assumed that it was a gift from his mother or something along those lines. Still, she straightened up and cleared her throat when she was addressed by him well aware of his annoyance.

"I just had to come and get some things to take with me to my room," she said matter-of-factly because they did indeed sleep in different rooms more often than not.

"Make it quick," he gestured with a wave of his hand. "Did we get everything we needed for Scorpius?"

"Yes, we did."

"Good."

"Was that the Hermione girl you were talking to the other day?"

"Who?"

"The woman outside of Flourish and Blotts."

He nodded without saying a word.

"She's beautiful and her son is quite handsome."

"Yes, I suppose," he said trying not to flinch outwardly, which he managed not to do.

"I suppose that's because Weasley isn't his father."

"How do you know that?"

Astoria blinked at him, quirking one of her elegantly thin brows at him. "The fact that he doesn't have that horrid red hair."

"Right, right."

"I wonder who his father is."

"That's none of your business, you'll do well to mind yourself."

The young woman cocked her head back with a slight huff because as much as she humored Draco she did hate when he treated her like she was some sort of pet. Another breeding tool to pass on his good blood, Astoria had never seen herself as such and she married him because she loved him even though she knew in her heart of hearts that he didn't feel the exact same. In fact, he hadn't been this bad about them sleeping apart for years now and it was odd that it was happening now when just the night before he had been clinging to her and kissing her hair.

What was going on with him? She didn't know and by the look on his face as he glared at her, he sure wasn't going to tell.


	4. The Prohpecy

**Be warned that his chapter is dedicated to the development of two of my custom characters:**  
><strong>Sebastian Granger and Frank Longbottom<strong>  
><strong>But don't worry the next chapter will bring Hermione back and future ones will have Draco present as well.<strong>

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><p>Perhaps it was his mother's doing, the reason why he was so immersed in the muggle culture, but it wasn't like Sebastian to complain about such a trivial thing even if people could swear that he was a fussy child. According to Ron he was quite the crier, he cried when he was upset or wanted something. But Seb was sure that's what children do; of course looking back on how Lily was that may not have been true. It didn't matter whether he used to whine and cry because now he was being the good grandson and taking pictures the muggle way for his grandparents.<p>

Hugh and Elene were very proud of their only grandson, they never looked down on him or alienated him because he was a wizard or because he didn't have any idea who his father was. In fact, they pampered him far worse than they ever did their own daughter. If there was something that Hermione wouldn't get her son then he would get it from them. Sebastian loved them to bits, which was why he happily dressed up in his house colors (bronze and blue, actually) with his nice dress jacket. He was graduating this year and his grandparents wanted a portrait of him so they could hang in their living area above the mantle.

The photographer was just about to finish taking the last couple of photos which weren't solo ones. The Granger's had allowed him the opportunity to bring his best mate and fellow graduate in on the photo shoot because the other boy practically grew up in front of them as well. So Sebastian had his arm wrapped around the slim shoulders of his best friends, turned to face him as he actually kissed his cheek and hitched a leg on his front.

"Come on, Frankie. Don't you want to hold me?" Sebastian teased with a grin, giving the photographer perfect opportunity to snap the picture.

The boy next to him couldn't help but laugh as he reached to grip Sebastian's thigh to hold him in place. Locks of blond hair fell over his forehead before he flipped them back with a dip of his head, blue eyes bright and playful as ever. He was a couple of inches shorter than Sebastian and had features that were far more boyish, but they were the same age. An earring with a small hippogriff feather hanging from it was attached to his ear as he was wearing a scarlet and gold themed tie around his throat. Frank Augustus Longbottom was a handsome boy, he'd skipped his father's awkward phase and had his mother's playfulness. That playfulness became apparent as he dipped Sebastian back with a laugh for the last picture of their session.

"If I didn't hold you, you wouldn't know any kind of affection, mate," Frankie said with a grin before releasing his best mate.

Sebastian flailed momentarily before he hit the floor with a grunt and a bout of laughter. The blond boy leaned over him and offered a hand to help his best mate off the floor, he took it and hopped up onto his feet. For a moment they were pressed against one another, a position that was neither new nor uncomfortable. Once their eyes met though they simultaneously stepped away from one another, still wearing the smiles they'd been wearing all day.

"Sebastian, love," Elene called over to him sweetly forcing he grandson to look away from his best mate. "Do you want to meet your grandfather and I for lunch in an hour?"

"Alright," Sebastian said with a nod as he took a step away from Frankie, a flush of color in his face as his stomach swirled nervously.

"You can come along too if you'd like, Frank."

"No, thank you. I should be heading home anyhow; I think mum is making her infamous Shepard's pie tonight. She knows it's my favorite."

Frank managed to tear his eyes away from Sebastian for a moment to glance over to Elene so to offer her a reassuring smile. The elder woman took it in stride and merely gave them a wave before she turned to leave the photo studio.

Once they were alone, the Gryffindor boy looked over to his best mate and his eyes instantly softened with adoration. It was hard to deny the look on his face was one of devotion and longing, not even Sebastian could deny it. So when he turned back to look at Frank, his face went a brighter shade of red. That uneasy feeling in his stomach swirled again, but he cleared his throat so to hide his momentary discomfort.

"So let's get into our street clothes," he said to fill the silence between them.

"Yeah, you need to hurry to find your grandparents."

"And we need to get you home to your mum and dad. She's spoiling you as usual, eh?"

"You know my mum, she doesn't like to see me leave home."

"Her and mum have that in common. I'm still surprised she let me go into Flourish and Blott's by myself, usually she likes to make sure I have every book I could possibly need aside from the essentials."

"Don't blame your mum for the fact that you're a bookworm," Frankie teased as he headed into the changing room. "So why didn't she go with you again?"

The changing room was not all that big and didn't offer privacy for more than two patrons but considering they were just changing their shirts. But the moment of intimacy, though small, that had passed between them left Sebastian feeling a bit insecure with his body. No matter how insecure he might have felt, he couldn't stop himself from glancing over to Frankie the very moment he shrugged out of his collared shirt.

His eyes took in the each muscle that glided under the others pale skin watching as the other boy shrugged his shoulders a couple of times and bent over to pick up his graphic-t up off the floor. Sebastian had been too enthralled with the sight to realize that Frankie had turned around to look at him. All he could seem to focus on was the fact that his best mate was slim and lean, abdomen muscles barely defined under his skin leading down to his naval. It was impossible not to follow the curving line of the V in the blonds hips, but he snapped out of it once the other moved slightly.

Frankie was ignoring it; he had just pulled his shirt on and down his torso so there was no more skin to be seen. Quirking his brow, he leaned over and picked up Seb's shirt before tossing it at him with a soft smile.

"So why did she let you go by yourself?"

"Oof," he let out as the shirt smacked him in the face, he pulled it off and shrugged as he started undoing his tie. "She ran into some bloke, he seemed to really get her a bit riled up."

"Oh? Who was it?"

"I think he said his name was Malfoy? I don't know."

"Tall blonde guy?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"Saw him the other day at the Leaky Cauldron when I was helping mum with the school rush. He's a piece of work, he and his wife both. They complained a whole hell of a lot."

"I figured, he seemed a bit full of himself. He called himself a ghost of an old friend to my mother."

"He called himself what?"

"A ghost. Looked like one though, so pale I swear I could almost see through his skin. He's a nutter if you ask me."

Sebastian had been in the middle of pulling his old shirt on when he finally looked over to Frankie to find that he was chewing on his nail cuticles. It was his nervous habit, he tended to do it before exams or even before a quidditch game. Something was wrong, but he was sure he hadn't said anything to set him off. A momentary frown settled over the brunette's features because he was scared he'd said or done something wrong to upset his friend here.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just…"

"What?"

"I had another prophecy a few days back, it made no sense."

"Why do you look so nervous? That happens all the time, you're a seer."

"I know, but now that you've said that….it makes sense."

"What was it?"

"Erm," Frank said softly as he reached up to rub at the back of his neck. "_The one of three will face a ghost, a secret untold left in the air, a ghost of past will loom, and in the midst will be an_…"

He stopped before finishing the prophecy, but the word was clear in his mind. _Heir._ Eyes went wide as he looked up at Sebastian's face, searching for something that he wasn't sure was even there to begin with. Studying his face as if he were trying to put pieces of a puzzle together between the face of this Malfoy fellow and Sebastian. There may have been obvious similarities, but all he could see when he looked at his best mates face was his best mate. Handsome features all knitted up in confusion before he cleared his throat, that look of confusion having turned to one of expectation rather quickly.

"What else?"

"I can't remember."

"Bullocks."

"Alright, alright. _In the midst will be an heir, what once drove two apart, will repeat itself in the heir, till all is told on secrets of the heart, all will suffer under ignorance glare_."

It made no sense to Sebastian, even as he repeated it over and over again in his head.

"One of three? I see that he's the ghost, but one of three?"

"Your mum is one of three."

"My mum is an only child."

"You know they're not that literal," Frankie scoffed as he folded up his clothes and stuffed them back into his backpack.

"Then what does it mean?" Sebastian asked with a sigh as he leaned over to pick up his own bag.

"Your mum, Harry, and Ron. Come now, you have to know they're a trio."

"Of course, but…what does she have to do with him?"

"He has an heir, I don't know."

"Yeah, a son. I saw him with his mum in Diagon Alley that day, but what's that got to do with my mum?"

"I don't know, mate. You'll have to ask her what it means, I can just tell you that I'm sure it's about her and that bloke."

The two boys exited the changing room with the air heavy between them, but they were a good enough spirits that Frank rested a hand on his friend's shoulder. Both of them moved across the studio floor toward the exit too involved with one another to notice the photographer still behind them. Frank reached into the front pocket of his backpack and pulled his cap out only to place it on his head, instinctively reaching to touch the hippogriff feather dangling from his ear.

"It's probably nothing, right?" Sebastian asked, a hint of worry to his tone.

"Probably," he said with a shrug. "But perhaps you should talk to your mum about it. See what she has to say."

"You're right."

"I am more so than you give me credit for."

"Who is the Ravenclaw here?"

Frankie rolled his eyes before bumping shoulders with the other boy, but he reached forward to hold the door open for Seb. He was just about to turn and face the other boy when Sebastian leaned in and pressed a quick, chaste kiss to the boy's full mouth. Color rushed into his pale cheeks and it seemed to only deepen when heard the soft shutter of a camera from behind them. The photographer stood there with his camera in hand, a smile on the man's face as he nodded to them.

"That's what I've been waiting for, real emotion."

Both of the boys were red in the face from embarrassment, but Sebastian merely took hold of Frank's elbow to pull him out of the studio finally. They stepped out onto the sidewalk, looking one way than the other before Frank looked to him and sighed gently.

"I'll owl you later."

"You had better."

"Or you'll have a cry, I know."

"Oh, go on," he rolled his eyes only to shove Frankie away. "I'll see you."

Sebastian turned his back to his best mate, his shoulders felt heavier than usual but it was due completely to the thoughts that were weighing heavy on his mind. Firstly, that prophecy and what it could possibly mean that his mother may be hiding something with that git. Secondly, he was thinking about that kiss and the fact that his stomach was still in pleasant knots because of it. What did it mean? Merlin only knew.


	5. Secret Keeper

The night had been filled with tossing and turning, sleep would not come to Sebastian no matter how hard he tried to settle his mind. Over and over again the prophecy would replay in his head and if that weren't enough he could hear Frank saying it to him. Just the sound of his best mate's voice had his stomach turning over in pleasurable knots of admiration. But whatever good feelings he may have got from that were overshadowed by the ominous words being spoken. Sebastian found it hard to believe that his mother had anything to do with that pale faced git, but not only that he couldn't imagine why she would feel the need to keep whatever it was from him.

His thoughts were just as heavy and laden with frustration when he woke up the next morning. The frustration growing as he stared into the bathroom mirror to see dark bags under his eyes and redness in the whites of them. Faucet turned on full blast, he cupped cool water into his hands and splashed it over his face to wash away residual tiredness and the white foam of his toothpaste. A glance at his toothbrush made him think about his grandparents, they were still dentists and always made sure that he knew how to take care of his mouth. They were always so happy to have him, surely they weren't keeping secrets from him too.

Paranoia did not run in his family as far as he knew, but that prophecy was rearing its ugly head every time he managed to get a moment of silence. Due to his urge to avoid that he had his radio turned up to as loud as he could handle and merely started packing up his trunk for his last year at Hogwarts. He sat down in front of the trunk and pushed the top back, bringing the stack of new books to his side as he studied one cover then the next. The music was drowning out his plaguing thoughts, reading each cover before he tucked them away in his trunk making sure to stack them firmly against one side.

The couple of photos that he even bothered to take to school were beneath his pile of books and once he got to them he took a moment to look the three of them over.

First was a picture of he, Harry and Ginny, the three of them floating midair atop their brooms. Ginny was holding a quaffle under one arm, Harry was had a fluttering golden snitch in one of his hands and there he sat on his broom with his arms around the two of them. Sebastian couldn't have been more than ten years old when this picture was taken, but he had known from a young age that his mother was not meant for flying. Where he got his ability to fly from was a mystery to him, sometimes though Harry would just shrug his shoulders as if it were obvious as to why it was that he was able to fly so well when his mother could not. Then again flying wasn't exactly an inherited trait, well it was if you asked Harry. The three of them were smiling as if they were a family and in a way they were, the Potter's were his godparents after all.

Second was a picture of he and Ron, the two of them actually in the stands of a quidditch stadium having just watched Ginny play a match with the Holyhead Harpies. His seven year old self was sitting atop Ron's shoulders, clinging to the older man's hands and in mid giggle when the picture was taken. Ron was grinning up to him in way that might have said that he told Sebastian something that he shouldn't have. Truth was that Ron was possibly Sebastian's first best friend and there were times he wished that the red-headed man was actually his father. There were times when he was a child that he was convinced that Ron and his mother would get married and they would be a family, but that all changed when Ron announced his engagement to Susan Bones. It shattered even further the year that Jean was born, that was their oldest daughter named after his own mother, then a little over a year later Hugo was born. No, they would never be a family but Sebastian looked onto the photo with a smile on his face.

Third was a photo of just him and his mother, he was already fifteen and had long since passed her up in terms of height. His arms were around her shoulders as he leaned in and pressed his chin to her shoulder, they were just waving and smiling. Hermione was holding a plaque in one hand and though you couldn't see it in the photo he knew exactly what it was. It was his services to the school award for having helped clean out a particularly nasty doxy infestation on the third floor. By particularly nasty, it meant that Sebastian had suffered from numerous doxy bites and even a few of them were scars on his skin. But still, it had probably been one of the days where Hermione was extremely proud of her son it showed in her smile.

Sebastian looked over the photos once more, his eyes lingering on his mother before shaking his head and placing them into the trunk within the confines of one of his books. Folded robes were placed in the bottom of his trunk just to act as buffers between his books and potions kit. His first year had almost been a disaster when his books managed to crush most of his potions vials before he even got to the castle. That was not something he wanted to repeat this year.

The music and busying himself with packing his trunk was working to keep his mind off of what Frankie told him the day before, but that illusion was shattered the moment he heard a voice from off behind him somewhere.

"Packing already? Isn't it a bit early," Hermione asked him as she held a cup of tea in her hands. "You didn't come down for tea."

Sebastian barely managed to catch what she said over the music blaring from his radio so he picked up his wand and gave it a wave. The radio's volume went down so that it was barely an audible whisper now, but he kept his back turned to his mother as he made to pack his quidditch supplies next.

"I'd rather be done and not rush," he said honestly. "Sorry, mum, I woke up late and it slipped my mind."

Now that was a lie and by the fact that there was a silence that was a moment too long from his mother he knew that she'd caught it.

"What's wrong, Sebastian? You hardly have seemed yourself since yesterday. Did something happen with Frankie?"

"No," he said too quickly, but it irked him that the first thing he thought his mother meant by that was if he and Frankie had done something they didn't usually do. Or if perhaps they'd gotten into a fight. In truth, it was no fight but it was still a very big and scary step that they had taken and it was one that he was afraid to take again.

"Then what's wrong? You hardly ever miss tea unless you're sick. Are you not feeling well?"

"I'm fine!"

The volume of his voice caused Hermione to jump slightly, a couple of drops of her tea escaped the lip of the cup and fell to the floor. For a moment, she recalled her last fight with Draco when he too had shouted at her but she forced that thought out of her mind and focused on her son. Draco had been taking up too much of her mind lately and it was not healthy considering he was a married man.

"Sebastian," she whispered lightly.

"What, mother?"

"Talk to me. You know you can tell me anything."

Hearing that from her caused Sebastian to laugh lightly before he could bother to keep himself in check, but the irony that laced it was too comical to be ignored.

"The one of three will face a ghost, a secret untold left in the air, a ghost of past will loom, and in the midst will be an heir," he said, not bothering with the rest of the prophecy. "Frankie had this prophecy and he says that it's about you and that Malfoy git."

Hermione was struck dumb by not only the prophecy but by her son's tone, scathing and a bit cold. She looked down at the floor a moment, glad that she didn't have to look him in the face because it surely would have brought her to the knees. Instead, she studied the swirling amber liquid in her cup for a few silent moments and it took no time at all for Sebastian's annoyance to be apparent in the air; so apparent that she could almost taste it.

"I don't know what it means."

"Why are you lying to me?"

"Why would you think I'm lying?"

Sebastian stood up and moved over to his bedside table, taking a copy of the Daily Prophet and turning to face his mother. He lifted the Prophet up next to his face to reveal a black and white moving photo on the front page, the pale, gaunt face of Draco Malfoy was staring out at her. The young Malfoy she knew in school was stone faced and staring out at her, but she looked away from him to meet her son's gaze and found herself staring at the same picture for a moment. The resemblance was so shocking that she'd released her cup of tea, it fell to the floor and shattered sending a spray of lukewarm tea in every direction. She winced at her reaction, mentally kicking herself for giving herself away like that.

"Because I'm not blind," he said coolly and tossed the paper at his mother's feet. "Why would you lie to me?"

"I never lied to you, Sebastian," Hermione spoke softly as her eyes were glued to the slightly moving photo on the front page of that old edition of the Prophet. "Where did you get this?"

"Your room."

"You went through my things?"

"Don't, mother, please. Don't get angry at me for taking a useless piece of paper while you've lied to me my entire life."

"It was never a lie; I was just trying to protect you."

"From what?"

"Your father! He doesn't know what he wants; I didn't want him pushing you aside like he pushed me aside. I couldn't stand the idea of him wanting to keep you a secret. It wasn't right, you deserved better."

"So I deserved to have one lying parent but not two?"

Hermione could feel her eyes burning with tears of anger and sadness, the pit in her stomach was oddly placed and she couldn't quite decide if she wanted to shout at her son or hug him. Part of her knew that he was right, but another part of her knew that what she had done was for his own good. There was no way they could have ever been a proper family, not the public family that Draco had with Astoria and Scorpius. And although she would never admit it aloud, a _real_ family was all she ever wanted for herself outside of her schooling. She had come to terms with the fact that it would never come to her, but now her son was accusing her of keeping him from his own normal family.

"Sebastian, Draco Malfoy is not the type of man to change his ways for anyone or anything. He would have kept you and I in his shadow and then would have married to have his legitimate heir with the right blood. You're a half-blood, he's a pureblood."

"You were a muggleborn and he bedded you, obviously! Didn't he love you? Did you love him?"

"Yes," she croaked her throat tight. "Yes."

"So you just think he couldn't love me?" Sebastian demanded, his own voice teetering on a strained plea. Brown eyes were filled with tears begging to fall, but he was keeping his expression harsh rather than display the brokenness he felt. "Just because I'm not a pureblood?"

"No, Sebastian. Definitely not."

"Then what?"

"It's hard to explain, but your father and I had very different ideas of what our relationship should be."

"So what. What does that have to do with me?"

"Everything, my love. Everything! I would not allow him to make you his bastard child, I wasn't going to let him keep you a secret from his friends and family because he was too much of a coward to face the fact that he loved me. He was young and didn't know how to be his own man, he wouldn't have changed even with you."

"How do you know? How could you possibly know that I wouldn't have changed him?"

"Because no one can change your father, I thought I had made him better and humbled him but I didn't. He was still the pureblood manic he always was and I could not let him taint you like that, I would not. I wanted the best for you, Sebastian. I've done the best I can for you. He was not part of that."

Sebastian's head was reeling and for a moment he didn't know which way was up or which was down, but he managed to gather himself up with a deep breath. Hands went up to curl in his dark brown hair, pulling at it for a second as he tried to strip himself of the thoughts. Being angry at his mother was not something he enjoyed; it felt foreign and very wrong to him. So he tried to view this situation from another perspective that lacked emotional attachments and he found himself relaxing. His mother hadn't done this to hurt him, hell his mother had never so much as raised her wand at him let alone made to emotionally harm him in any way. Maybe she was being honest, this was her way of keeping him safe and he knew that his life with his mother's friends was a good one. A great one even considering there was always someone there for him.

It was hard to believe that he could be the son of the blond man that he'd met only a few days ago in Diagon Alley. It was even harder to believe that he had a half-brother that he'd also seen. The new information was almost too much to process, fingers were pressed to his temples ready for the surge of pressure but it didn't come. Finally, he looked over his shoulder at his mother and just looked her in the eye.

"Does he know?" He asked lightly, afraid of the answer.

"Yes," she said defeated.

"For how long?"

"Since that day in Diagon Alley."

"What did he say? Does he want to know me?"

Hermione was silent for a long moment, contemplating her options and knowing full well that she couldn't keep them apart any longer.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Tell me something, mum."

"Anything."

"No more lies?"

"No. Just the truth, Sebastian."

"How did this happen? If he's as much of a git as you make him out to be then why would you fall in love with him?"

"Because your father is himself only when he's away from the pressures of the world. Once eyes are on him, he's someone else entirely as you saw when his wife and son came out of the shop."

The fact that Draco went from looking hurt to sneering at Hermione was proof of how much he hadn't changed yet. Of course, that could have been attributed to the fact that he had laid his eyes on his son for the first time Hermione was betting that it wasn't due completely to Sebastian's presence but more so Astoria's.

"How did this happen? When, where?"

"It's a long story."

"I've got all day."

Hermione sighed, her brown eyes studied her son's face and she could see the stubbornness in his brown eyes. She wanted to smile because he reminded her so much of herself, but she knew that smiling would only serve to anger him. There was no doubt in her mind that he wasn't going to budge unless he got the whole story from her. How they were forced together, how their hearts collided, how they fell in love. Was she willing to go through the painful story? She had no choice.


	6. V is for Denial

This chapter is Hermione telling a bit of how her and Draco got together.  
>Hope you enjoy. More flashbacks to come.<p>

* * *

><p>It was only a few scant months after the second war when Hermione had packed up and decided to return to Hogwarts, but she hadn't quite been ready for the sight of the castle since she left it behind after it was nearly rubble. The large castle was once again in one piece, but there were scars of the war on singed brick walls and the fact that there was rubble strewn across the once purely grassy grounds. For a moment as she stood before the great oak doors all she could only inspect the stairs as parts of them were pieced back together like puzzle and magic stained the pieces that glued together. She half-expected to open the doors to find another battle taking place, but she shook the feeling off with a deep breath and shrug of her shoulders.<p>

"'Ey, 'ermione," said a familiar voice off to her right.

She gave Hagrid a tight lipped smile as she looked up at him, her hand gripping harder to the trunk she had brought with her.

"Hello, Hagrid. It's good to be back, isn't it?"

"It's good t'see the school bein' repaired," he agreed with a nod of his huge head. "So yer back for the school year? Ron and 'arry told me you would be."

"Yes, I have to finish. It's a personal goal," she said gently with a nod of her head before turning her eyes back to the school.

"Well, let me take yer trunk then. Head Mistress McGonagall will be wanting you in her office as soon possible."

"I thought she would have retired."

"Not yet. I think she feels the need t'make sure the school gets back into the swing of things. Fer Dumbledore, y'know."

"Of course, I'll see you later then Hagrid."

The two of them shared a warm smile before she allowed him to take her trunk and open one of the large doors for her. To her surprise the entrance hall was filled with enough students that it gave her a spark of hope that things had actually gotten better. People weren't so afraid anymore, but at the same time she knew that these weren't the usual numbers. There were certainly less people here than she remembered, still it put a smile on her face to see that the hallways were relatively well put together so that they looked unharmed. Suits of armor that lined the walls were shined and some still wore their marks of the war, but something about that made this place seem prouder. Hermione let out a shaky breath as she hurried along the hallway toward the stairs that led to the Head Mistress' office.

For a moment, she had to stop and think of the password that McGonagall had written at the bottom of her last letter. Everyone that it was easier to breathe now that Voldemort was dead and gone, but there was still a bit of pressure on she, Harry, and Ron that could not be explained. It was like they were all still in warrior mode, shell shocked so to speak and it was hard for them to get into the habit of just living rather than running. Even as she looked up at the marble statute that guarded the stairway she felt a momentary fatigue and had to press a hand to her forehead to keep her bearings as she whispered the password.

"_Victory."_

In retrospect it should have been on the tip of her tongue the moment that she stepped foot into this place, but for some reason it had slipped into the back of her mind. The thought of it seemed to do that even as she stepped onto the spinning staircase that slowly took her up into the Head Mistress' office. Hermione had to rest her head in her hands a moment because the spinning seemed to have her a bit of kilter as if she were on the verge of falling over. Finally, the world seemed to settle and she dropped her hands before knocking on the door to the office and only entering when she heard McGonagall call out to her.

She entered the spacious office with little fanfare only to find the wizened witch behind the grand desk with a small smile on her face. The glint in her eyes made Hermione a bit apprehensive because she was sure that McGonagall knew something she didn't know right now, it was unsettling.

"Ah, Miss Granger. I'm glad to see you made it on time," McGonagall said in her usual tone filled with authority. "I know you didn't see any need to meet up here because you have your schedule and know your house but I thought it prudent to inform you of the company you will be keeping."

Try hard as she could, Hermione found her thoughts wandering as her eyes scanned the room she was standing in for any signs of Dumbledore. Looking for any signs of him that may have been left behind, but this place was oddly plain and it shouldn't have been so surprising. It wasn't anything like she would have thought McGonagall would make for herself, but if the rumors were true she was only here for the year to get things up and running again. Maybe she wanted to see Hermione to the finish that thought made her smile, but that smile was stolen away when she glanced up to see the portrait of Albus Dumbledore smiling down at her. For a moment her lungs seemed to protest the idea of expanding to take in a breath, but her brain seemed to finally process what McGonagall had said to her;…_the company you will be keeping. _There hadn't been any mention of that in any of the letters so when Hermione looked at McGonagall questioningly she was not surprised by the stony look on her once-professors face.

"Who else has come back?" She doubted anyone really had the same desires that she did, it just didn't seem possible.

McGonagall gave a slight nod of her head to the chair to her right, Hermione hadn't bother walking around the chair in front of her to take a seat because she hadn't planned on being here long. But slowly, as if she were expecting a Death Eater to jump out at her, Hermione stepped around the seat closer to her and looked across the expanse between the twin chairs to the occupied one. The room seemed to grow cold in that moment because a Death Eater may as well have jumped out at her because sitting in that seat was a pale-faced, blond-haired, grey-eyed boy with a solemn look on his handsome face and his eyes boring holes into McGonagall's desk. When his grey-eyes shot toward her, Hermione glared at him though wearily before she turned to look at McGonagall expectantly

"You can't be serious, Professor," she let out before she could help herself.

"I am quite serious, Mr. Malfoy has been okayed by the Ministry and wants to finish his schooling. I would think that you would be the last person wanting to deny someone their education, Miss Granger."

It wasn't just _someone_, it was Malfoy. If she never saw him again it would be too soon and yet here they were. They would more than likely have to share the same classes and things of the like because of their special circumstances.

"Now that the two of you are here, I feel I should inform you that you are the only two who have returned for their last year," she said tiredly before looking between the two, ignoring the fact that the two previous students were exchanging glancing glares. "And in light of the war, I feel that there is no one better suited for the title of Head Boy and Head Girl than the two of you."

"But Professor," Hermione interjected only to be cut off when McGonagall shot her a look.

"I know that this is usually given to seventh year students, but I am making the exception this year because we have two survivors of the war here. Two role models in their own place, Mister Malfoy among his house and Miss Granger among her own, stand in this school to finish their learning and I am happy to say I will exploit you two for it. The rift between Slytherin and Gryffindor has been spread even further and I don't want this school falling apart to riots and needless duels. So you," she said this as she looked from one of them to the other. "Are going to be acting as the mediators, the Heads of the entire school. It's time to prove that rivalries can be broken and overcome."

"And what if they can't?" Hermione finally got a word in.

"You will do well to remember that like you, Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy came back here in hopes of saving his friends. You would have done the same, in fact you did."

"It was hardly the same."

"You risked your life for your friends; he risked his life for his. He mourned friends as you mourned friends."

But they weren't the same friends; she didn't remember seeing Malfoy looming over Fred's dead body or even over Remus or Tonks. No he was not crying over them, he was sputtering in a corner with his parents like the coward he had always been. Hermione was sure she was making a face because McGonagall was glaring at her reproachfully as if daring her to say something so that she could be shut down. Instead, Hermione took a deep breath and picked her head up before nodding curtly.

"Okay, Professor. I will do my best."

"And you?" She asked, looking to the placid faced boy still in his seat.

"I will do mine as well," Draco finally spoke, his voice soft and oddly invasive in Hermione's mind.

"Then that matter is settled, we can move on to your living arrangements. Due to the former Head boy and girl suites having been demolished in the war, the two of you will be rooming together in a spacious spare classroom on the fifth floor. I trust this won't be a problem, it's a private dwelling with two beds, two spare desks and even a private bathroom."

Draco was up on his feet now about to say something, but one deathly glare from McGonagall forced whatever words he'd been about to speak to get lodged in the back of his throat.

"If there is a problem then you can sleep in the dorms you used to know with the first years and I highly doubt either of you will find it comfortable, do remember how many questions they all will have."

So that was the catch wasn't it? They could go somewhere else, but chances were that neither of them would have a moment of peace due to the constant questions that would undoubtedly come their way. Draco wasn't the happiest when he looked over to Hermione and realized that he'd have to wake up with her across the room from him. For a moment it made him rethink his education, it wasn't like he couldn't get it elsewhere but in the end this place was where he wanted to be.

"I'm sure Granger and I can make it work, Head Mistress," Draco finally spoke as he took to his feet, hands smoothing over the front of his robes delicately.

"Make sure you do, Mr. Malfoy. I've had this school torn apart once in my lifetime and I refuse to let it happen again," McGonagall said as she gave the two of them a cool and calculating glare before giving a wave of her hand to signal they could leave. "Go on and make yourselves comfortable, I don't expect the two of you down for the ceremony but I would suggest it."

The Head Mistress didn't give either of her former student's time to say much because she ushered them out of her office with a slight nudge. Hermione and Draco stood in the spinning staircase, Draco was two steps further down and away from her and standing stiff. She had half expected him to try and race of the stairs down to the ground floor, but he seemed to be in fine spirits despite their predicament. She had to entertain the thought that perhaps he had changed since the last time they had actually interacted. Perhaps a near-death experience had opened his eyes to the fact that he was not above everyone else as he had been taught.

Hermione had been lost in her own thoughts when the stairs stopped turning and she was taken aback when Draco suddenly turned around to face her. Their eyes met and she had to fight the sudden chill that threatened to ricochet up her spine. Teeth grit, she stood her ground and took a breath ready for him to say whatever it was that was on his mind behind those clear eyes of his.

"Look, I know we're not the best of mates but I want to get through this year of school so that I can move on with my life," he stated plainly he looked her over as if scrutinizing what she looked like. "So let's just stay out of each other's way and get this done. Yeah?"

"Have it your way then," Hermione huffed as she pushed passed him and headed down the corridor, arms crossed over her chest and head held high.

**_Time Lapse_**

Thankfully, the conjoined room was empty when she returned from her last class of the day. It still bothered her that their rooms were so different, it was as if someone had taken two bedrooms and stuck them together. The only thing they seemed to have in common was neatness, her room more organized than his in an obvious way. Draco's room was clean and neat, but there was a coldness to it that made you wonder if anyone actually occupied it. Even if she had wished she was alone there was no denying that he was living here because she could see the pile of neatly folded letters on his bedside table. He didn't know, but she had seen him read and re-read those letters often wondering who wrote to him daily only she didn't have the gull to ask him.

Hermione moved over to her side of the room, tossing her satchel on the bed and ignoring it for the moment. Most of her homework was done and all she really had to do was look over the essays for any mistakes, but she was unbelievably tired. School had never seemed so hard, but she knew it was only the stress of having to be cordial and constantly deal with the looks from the younger students. It was a month into the school year and most of their questions had been answered, but they still looked at her like she was some kind of hero. Just today she almost shouted at a group of Hufflepuffs that were following her around when she heard them whisper something about the war. But she had managed to bit her tongue and just lost them somewhere on the fourth floor.

After a moment of digging through her drawers she gathered up her night clothes, deciding on skipping the Great Hall due to her raw nerves. Perhaps she could convince Winky to bring her up a late snack, she thought to herself as she slipped out of her shoes and her robes. Robes thrown into her hamper she headed over to their private bathroom to find the door slightly ajar. Light filtered out of the slight opening and she peered inside, a slight ping of shame in her chest because she could hear the shower running. White oxford shirt was thrown onto the floor along with perfectly pressed trousers, clothing scattered as it led toward the shower stall. Hermione's heart thudded into her ears from shame till the trail of clothing became more ominous as it transformed into a red, smeared mess. _Blood._

"Draco!" She screamed without thinking and pushed the door open, nearly tripping as black trousers caught up in her bare feet.

Brown eyes went wide as she caught sight of the blond boy naked and bleeding on the bathroom floor, his pale hair drenched with blood as bloodied fingers were curled into it. Draco lay in the fetal position on the floor as steam rose to the ceiling from the shower. The pallor of his skin was off, he had lost a lot of blood but she wasn't paying that much mind as she ran over to him. Falling to her knees, she didn't notice when the tile tore open the skin on her knees when she gathered the fallen Slytherin up into her arms. Hands shakily pushed the matted, bloody hair from his pale forehead before she felt at his throat for a pulse. The weak throb his pulse point gave made her heart speed up, he was okay but she couldn't see where his blood was coming from he was drenched in it.

"Fuck," she cursed. The word tasting sour on her tongue, but she got to her feet and curled her wrists under Draco's arms before dragging him back toward the shower stall.

The water was hot and nearly scalded her skin through her white shirt as she stepped under the cascading water. She reached back blindly and turned up the cold tap only to pull the boy under it instead, frantic eyes searching as the water started to clean the blood from his skin. So caught up in finding her wounds, she had forgotten that he was naked only forced to blush when his once bloody torso was wiped clean of the blood. Eyes looked away for a moment; she had been kneeling in the shower with his head cradled against her pelvis when she'd made to reach over him when a pale hand grabbed her wrist.

"Don't leave me," his voice came broken and far away. "Please."

"I-," she stuttered and took his hand while the other stroked his hair. "I won't. I promise."

Throat thick with a sudden sadness she looked him over, his face contorted in sorrow with a bit of pain. His wounds were now visible along his wrists, blood trickling out to mix with the running water. Had he actually tried to kill himself? The thought was far too much to process; Hermione didn't want to think about it because in the end she may have understood. Instead, she sat under the running water with him and kept his head in her lap stroking his hair to keep him calm. Just waiting for the water to start running clear again.

They did look like quite the pair, her dark hair now matted down to her head as she was drenched to the bone. White oxford sticking to her tan skin revealing the bra she wore beneath, pleated skirt sticking to her legs as she rocked gently with him looking up at her. Though his eyes were closed she kept her eyes on his face, his body bare and finally clear of blood and glistening with water the clung to his skin. Hermione didn't dare look passed his pelvis, eyes averting in slight shame as she glanced back to those open wrists. It bothered her that she hadn't noticed that he was so out of sorts that he would do something as stupid as this. A soft sigh passed her lips as she leaned over and actually kissed his pale forehead, his eyes fluttering open so gray and brown met. There was a flicker of something in those gray eyes, an apology or perhaps a thank you but nothing was said they just remained in that shower stall staring at one another.

It felt as if hours had passed, but perhaps it had only been a few minutes, till Hermione reached to turn off the water. She was reluctant to leave Draco on the shower floor, but he was slipping in and out of consciousness so he barely noticed when his head shifted from her wet lap to the wet tile floor. On hands and knees she made her way to the bathroom floor looking for his wand, she wasn't sure what it was now since Harry had disposed of the old one. It would have worked well for him anyway, it had belonged to Harry but she pushed her thoughts into the back of her head. Concentrating as hard as she could to still her hand as she whispered the charm that would close up his wrists, she let out a sigh of a relief when the skin stitched back together with the help of magic.

A groan fell from Draco's lips and Hermione frowned when she realized that his lips were a pale shade of blue. The blood loss had registered on his face and she delicately lifted him out of the room with his wand, leading him out of the bathroom and laying him out on his bed. The fact that she wasn't using her own wand was apparent when he wobbled in midair as they walked, so she set his wand aside on his bedside table and went for her own.

Wand swiped over his front was used to dry him off so that he would stop trembling, another flick of her wand dressing him in a pair of his pajama bottoms. Breath catching in the back of her throat as it took him a moment too long to inhale, but once he did she let out a sigh of relief and tucked him into his bed. In the middle of tucking him in she had been leaning over his limp body when she noticed the subtle scarring on his chest, the realization that it was from the curse Harry had inflicted she frowned. Eyes glancing down at his wrists to see that they weren't going to completely heal, she'd taken too long to close them.

Hermione sat on the edge of his bed and put a hand to her head, damning herself under her breath. She hadn't even noticed that his eyes had opened till he had taken her hand in his own; the feel of his cool skin on hers nearly caused her to jump. When she looked up to catch his gaze, the look that welcomed her surprised her to the point that her own features screwed together incredulously. Still there was a look of gratitude on his handsome face one that resonated in his gray eyes that were usually devoid of any emotion. Thin lips parted so that he might say something, but before he could even get a word out a regal looking Eagle Owl landed on the perch on his bedside table.

The sight of the bird seemed to snap Draco out of his daze of gratitude so that he tossed Hermione's hand away and reached for his owl's extended leg. Hermione wasn't going to stick around and watch him read his letter, instead she stood and dried herself off. Robes employed she pulled her hood over her head before heading out, putting some space between she and Draco and at the same time doing him a favor as she headed up to the Hospital Wing knowing Pomfrey would have some Blood Replenishing Potion which would undoubtedly do him a great deal of good. As she stepped further and further away from their room, the protectiveness or friendliness she may have been feeling for Draco started to wane. Good thing too, there was no doubt he'd deny all of this in the morning.


	7. Threats and Promises

Finally the house was quiet, his study was finally still and the echoes of Astoria's yelling had finally died down in his head. A cool glass of scotch on the rocks rolled to and fro on his forehead as he sat behind his large desk, the liquor in his belly serving to settle his nerves while the makeshift ice pack served to ease the throbbing in his head. They never fought like this and this was what had his head pounding, he had never realized that Astoria could scream so loudly. It took all his will power to keep himself from striking her, but what really stopped him was the fact that Scorpius walked in on them. The way that he looked between his parents, slightly frightened and also expectant of an excuse as to why they were fighting made Draco stop mid-yell.

Scorpius always seemed to get his father to calm down when he wasn't feeling like himself, reminding him that things were not half as bad as his imagination sometimes liked to muster up. Just a look into his son's eyes reminded him that the war was over; there was nothing to fear not even the mark on his arm. His eyes were a more oceanic shade of blue, not the eyes of the Malfoy family but eyes that he had seen on Astoria's father. Draco wanted to thank his son for stopping the argument but Astoria gathered him up and took him with her to her parent's house. There was no way she was going to stay there overnight because she knew better, but he was thankful for this cooling off period.

It was hard to believe that they were arguing over Hermione. Draco had never imagined that he would actually be fighting with his wife because of her; he figured that any chance of that ever happening died when she left and never bothered to come back. Still they did argue about her and all because Astoria had to go through his things when she should have known better.

"_What is this, Draco?"_ _She shouted when she tossed the open letter to him. "You have another son? Not only that but you had him with that mudblood."_

"_You dare go through my things," he said between clenched teeth, letting the letter fall to the floor without glancing at it. "You should know better, you know your place and it's not to question me."_

"_I question your sanity! Or has all that pureblood finally come to head in your veins? Have you fallen off your nut? You have a son with a mudblood! You have a half-blood bastard and you dare to act high and mighty to me!" _

"_Watch your mouth, Astoria. I won't have you calling my son a bastard."_

"_But he is a bastard and she's a mudblood bitch! __**Our**__ son is your real heir; he is the son you're supposed to have. Just leave them be, let her have her bastard son and stay with your real family, Draco. Remember that __**I**__ am the wife you're meant to have and that Scorpius is the son you are supposed to have."_

"_So you think you can tell me what I should have now? You're a pureblood whore; you are nothing but a walking uterus, Astoria. As are all pureblood women so do watch your pretentious mouth."_

_Draco barely had any time to react and duck out of the way when she threw a book from his shelf at him, cracking the window of his study with the force of it. The look in her light brown eyes was enough to kill, but he stood his ground as he leaned on his fisted hands atop his desk. There was no denying the malice in her eyes, she wanted to hurt him and he had never seen her look so angry but maybe a handful of times that had never been aimed toward him. _

"_You dare stand there and act like you are better than me, Draco Malfoy? You've been shagging mudbloods and you dare stand there acting like you're something worth having? If anything you're lucky to have me and Scorpius, you will do well to remember that."_

"_Oh? You're of no use to me now, Astoria, considering I have what I need from you." _

"_Don't be so sure, I know all your dirty little secrets and I'll have you know I have some of your bastard sons too."_

"_What are you on about?" He said, rolling his gray eyes at her because he didn't believe one moment of it. _

"_Did you forget that Pansy has a son already in school? From what she tells me your little bastard has your little trait of diddling the wrong sort." _

"_Do get on with it or do shut up."_

_The smirk that took over Astoria's features actually made him shiver inwardly, there was something wrong about the way her eyes sparked with malicious intent. If he actually thought she would hurt him, he may have been frightened but instead his shoulder slumped with annoyance. _

"_From what Pansy tells me, he doesn't keep girlfriends for long because he's constantly curled up with Longbottom's __**son.**__"_

_That was the last straw, Draco's face fell and whatever color that was in his cheeks would have drained away in his sudden rage only for it to surge back within moments. But he turned his back to her, arms crossing over his chest as she tried to gather up his willpower not to give into her attempts to get him off kilter. _

"_Don't you dare, you don't know my son."_

"_I know that he has your weakness for things he shouldn't be doing. Why wouldn't he? He has poor breeding."_

"_You're one to talk of poor breeding. How are your father's bastard children with the muggle?"_

_Astoria glared daggers at him, he could see her reflection in the glass of the window. He didn't bother to look at her when she took a few steps toward him so that she could whisper threateningly into his ear._

"_His muggle bitch and her bastard children are dead, watch yourself or your mudblood whore and bastard son will share the same fate."_

_Draco wheeled around so quickly to face her that he could see the surprise on her face when he looked down at her, his hands caught her shoulders. Astoria let out a sound of discomfort as his grip on her arms was so tight it would surely bruise, but she wasn't looking away from his deadly gaze. There was no denying that she meant her threat, those eyes of hers told the truth and she wasn't above killing to keep what was hers. Draco was hers; his name and his money were hers. There was no way she would lose any of that to anyone especially a mudblood. _

_Just when he'd been about to shout at her again Scorpius walked into his study and the fight ended then and there. _

The idea of Hermione actually being killed because she had a connection to him made his stomach turn suddenly making the warm liquor feel as if it were on fire. Draco placed his tumbler down and pressed his fingers to his temples willing his body to relax and his thoughts to settle. Just as his stomach settled once more he heard a knock at his study door, straightening up and smoothing his hands over the front his shirt he locked gray eyes on the door.

"What is it?" He demanded.

A slight elf dressed in a drab pillowcase stepped into the room with its large gray eyes on the floor. Frader had been given to he and Astoria as a wedding gift, he had proven quite useful considering that Astoria was not at all learned in the ways of housekeeping. The small creature did not look up from the spot on the floor he was focusing on even as he addressed his master.

"Master has a visitor. The boy calls himself Sebastian Granger. Such a loud and obnoxious boy, Frader tried to tell him that Master was busy but he refused to leave."

Once again there was an unsettling feeling in his stomach, Draco felt his breath get stolen from him but he made himself take to his feet. Stepping out from behind his desk, the blond made his way past the house elf without a word. Frader looked after his master before following him with a slight limp, closing the door to the study behind him as he continued after Draco.

Sebastian was standing in the foyer, his dark brown hair damp due to the haze of water that had taken settled over the greater part of Wiltshire. Intelligent looking brown eyes had been studying the high ceiling with its crystal and silver chandelier before they turned on Draco as he came to the foot of the stairs. When their eyes met, Sebastian felt a sudden surge of discomfort in his core that made him shift from one foot to the other. He wasn't sure why he hadn't seen the similarity in their features before but they were standing out to him now. They had the same nose, the same round jawline and even the same high cheekbones. It suddenly made no sense why people ever told him he looked like his mother, the only thing they seemed to share as he stared at his father's face were the hair and the eyes.

"She told you, did she?" Draco asked trying not to sound as incredulous as he felt.

"Yes."

"How much did she tell you?"

"Everything. My mother and I don't have any secrets, well we don't anymore."

"And what did you expect coming here would do for you?"

"I have questions only you can answer, my mum told me that I should ask you to your face," Seb said plainly as he dug around in the pockets of his cloak, the only piece of wizarding clothing he was actually wearing. Finally he found the letter his mother gave to him to deliver to his father only to hold it out to Draco. "And she sent this for you."

Draco took the folded piece of parchment still sealed with red wax and despite his desire to open it, he tucked it away into the inside pocket of his dress jacket.

"Well, I suppose you would be foolish if you didn't have any sort of questions," Draco said as he played off his curiosity by walking past his first born son.

Sebastian was almost taller than his father, but Draco didn't think he'd grow any further and he had tried to recall whether Hermione's father had any height. The thought fell short as he couldn't seem to remember any of the photos he'd seen of the Granger's, it seemed so long ago that he last saw them and it was. Almost nineteen years now. He shook his head at the thoughts as he lead the way into the living area, offering the young man a seat across the fireplace before taking his own seat.

For a moment, Sebastian wasn't paying much mind to his father but simply was looking around the extravagance of the Malfoy Manor. Everything seemed to ooze opulence from the gilded frames and mirrors to the Persian rugs that were very cushy under his booted feet. The Gryffindor boy had been distracted by a certain portrait on the wall, it had a tall man with long, platinum blond hair nearly at his waist. The man in the portrait was standing completely still only giving away his movement when he blinked fathomless gray eyes at Sebastian and his regal face became a mask of distaste. Lucius Malfoy was young in this portrait and he was standing proudly amongst his white peacock that stalked around him, but he was glaring at Sebastian.

"You dare look on me? I can see the mudblood running through your veins, the stain on my son's reputation," young Lucius said matter-of-factly.

"Quiet you old idiot," Draco shouted at the portrait only to wave his wand forcing the Lucius to mouth words that found no sound. "Ignore him, he does love to hear himself talk."

"Mum told me that you weren't on good terms with your father, even when he was sentenced to death."

"Well, I wasn't. My father and I hardly saw eye to eye on anything, I wager he was quite glad to live long enough to know that I had married a proper witch."

That statement made Sebastian grit his teeth, but he moved around to take the seat that was across from Draco. Sitting up straight, he let his eyes go over to his father before he ran fingers through his dark hair. Just as he was about to open his mouth to say something Frader appeared with a tea tray on his back, but Seb took to his feet to take the tray. The House Elf looked up at him slightly offended and fearful as he glanced over to his Master. But Draco merely waved his wrist telling the elf that it was fine and Frader through a glare to Sebastian before limping out of sight once more. Leaving father and son alone again, Sebastian took his seat again but this time studied the tea tray that had a good amount of finger cookies and sweeties along with the teapot and cups.

"You have your mother's reverence for House Elves, I see," Draco said plainly as he leaned forward to prepare his tea liking it rather strong he only put in a couple drops of honey before mixing his concoction.

"A house elf once saved her life," Seb said with a shrug of his shoulders, he actually had a stuffed otter when he was a kid that he named Dobby so he knew all about that heroic elf. "From the clutches of your family if I remember correctly."

"Ah, yes. I did forget that."

Seb said nothing to this for a moment instead he just poured himself tea and squeezed a quarter lemon into it. Leaning back into his chair, he felt a momentary pang of guilt because he was used to having tea with his mother but here he was with his father instead.

"So what did you come here for, Sebastian?"

"I want you to answer some questions for me."

"Alright, I'll do my best."

"Mum warned me that you may not be as honest about everything as she was, but I need to know from you. Did you love my mother?"

"Yes," Draco said as he tentatively sipped at his tea.

"Why did you let her go?"

"No one _lets_ your mother do anything, she is quite adept at doing what she wants without anyone else's input."

"Did you even go after her?"

"No, I didn't."

"Why?"

"Because she left me and I'm a proud man, I don't deal well with rejection."

"She did say that about you. Is that why you wanted to hide her?"

"Things were much more complicated than they may have seemed to her."

"Why is that?"

"I was engaged to my wife for one thing. And another was that your grandfather was still alive, I never crossed my father if I could help it. My relationship with your mother was crossing a line that he drew years before I met her."

"Dating muggleborns."

"That's right, I wasn't allowed to and frankly I had never had the urge till I spent so much time with your mother our last year at school."

"Which is where you got her pregnant."

"Yes, I suppose it was."

"Did you even care? That she left, I mean."

"Of course, I cared. There wasn't a day that went by since then that I didn't wonder how it would have been different now had she stuck around."

"How could it have turned out different?"

"My father passed away a couple months after I was married to my wife, if your mother had waited we would have had our time then."

"Do you not know how pretentious you sound? Why should she have waited for you?"

"Because I'd have given her the world, I loved her more than anyone else loved her even Weasley."

"Ron loves my mother very much, even still. He has always been there for her, I don't think you love her more than he does."

"Then she loves me more, I suppose it doesn't change our scenario. Now does it, Sebastian?"

"No, but perhaps my mother is right and there is no use in me being here. I never thought I needed a father nor needed to know who you were, but now I see that knowing you can only serve to hurt me. My mum said you wouldn't ever claim me publically and it's not like I'd change my name, but I wanted to make sure she wasn't making you out to be worse than you were."

"I never said I wouldn't claim you. I have nothing to fear now when it comes to my father, any backlash I get I can handle."

"Prove it then," the boy said boldly as his dark eyes met the light ones of his father.

"Frader," Draco called out as he set his saucer and teacup down on the coffee table. "Fetch me some parchment and my quill."

There was an impatient snap of his fingers as the elf limped over to the table a bit too slowly for Draco's liking, but as soon as the parchment and quill were set before him he picked them up. Quickly he scrawled out a short note which he folded up before whistling sharply, it was only a moment before there was a tapping at the window. His trusty eagle owl stood on the windowsill tapping at the glass before the window slid open and it hopped in, landing obediently on the armrest of Draco's chair with its leg out. Without another word he tied the little note to the bird's leg and offering a bit of strawberry tart as a treat.

"Straight to the Prophet with you. There, I'm sure my admission of having a son with Hermione Granger will make front page tomorrow."


	8. What Could Have Been

Ottery St. Catchpole hadn't changed that much since they were just kids, perhaps it became a bit more populated now that the Potters also lived there along with the Weasley's. At first Harry and Ginny had been living in Godric's Hollow because Harry felt at home there despite the suffering he'd been put through there. But when the couple had found out they were pregnant with their second child they decided that it would be better to live somewhere they could go outside and have all the room in the world to run. Not to mention that Molly Weasley was adamant that her at least some of her grandchildren be closer to her so that she wouldn't have to travel so much to see them. Ginny and Harry were happy to appease her, she had done so much for them when James was born and they never regretted moving closer after Albus was born.

Their home had been built from the ground up for them because they wanted something homey yet big enough to accommodate their growing family including Teddy Tonks. Harry had taken the time to plant plenty of trees around their home to give it woodsier feel and also provide cover for James and Teddy when they felt the need to employ their broomsticks. The two-story home was nothing compared to the burrow when it came to feeling homey, but it was getting there. Especially since it was summer break and getting James to clean up after himself was like getting a blasted-ended skrewt to roll over on command.

Hermione had shown up after she and Sebastian had decided that it was okay for him to see his father. There was no possible way she was going to be able to sit alone at home with her own thoughts and be able to prevent herself from apparating to Draco's home and pulling her son away kicking and screaming. Ginny had always been so good at reading Hermione that she didn't bother to ask questions when the brunette showed up and merely set out another plate for lunch.

There were six kids running around in the backyard, all chasing each other in a rowdy game of tag as Hermione watched them from the window in the kitchen. It was odd to see five of those kids with red hair and still having an easy time of picking out which ones were Ron's. Jean, Hugo, and Fabian were Ron's and whether people thought it or not he was such a good father despite the fact that he was now a widower. He had married Susan Bones four years after the war and they'd been married for nearly five years when she'd passed away after Fabian was born due to complications. Ron had been devastated, but his kids had gotten him through it especially Jean.

The day that Ron and Susan had told Hermione that they were naming their first daughter after her was still clear in her mind. Hermione had felt guilty because in her heart of hearts she felt that it was wrong that part of Ron was still holding onto her. Susan had been a lovely girl that smiled a lot, she made Ron smile more than anyone else ever had and Hermione was glad he found someone that could make him smile. Jean had his smile, she could easily spot the small red-headed girl smiling from her spot in the window and without realizing she let out a wistful sigh.

"Realizing what could have been?" Ginny interrupted her thoughts as she was in the middle of chopping some potatoes for the stew she was making and stirring the many pots on the stove.

It was actually quite surprising how easily Ginny took to the home life, Hermione wasn't sure she'd ever get over the thrill of professional quidditch but she proved to have enough of her mother in her to be a really splendid homemaker.

"In a way," Hermione said with a soft sigh. "I just see them all out there you know? They could have been mine and Sebastian wouldn't have been raised alone."

"He wasn't, he had Victoire and Teddy."

"Yes, but look at them out there. It's just different I guess."

"Because their parents are best friends."

"I suppose that's it."

"Neville is a close friend and Seb has Frankie."

"That he does," she said with resignation and swallowed thickly only to take another sip of her now cold tea.

"You're not honestly worried about what Draco will do are you?"

"I'm just frightened he'll hurt Seb like he hurt me."

"The two of you had plenty of hurt to go around."

"What does that mean?"

"That he is not the only one to blame for this, Hermione," Ginny stated plainly as she dumped her potato pieces into one boiling pot. "You're going to have to let it go so Seb can get to know his father without feeling guilty because his mother doesn't like it."

"I did nothing wrong to Draco, Ginny. He is the one who refused to accept me for who and what I was."

"I think it kind of goes both ways on that front, love. You didn't accept him for who and what he was either."

"Of course, I did."

"Then you would have understood why he was scared to show you off. Lucius was still alive back then and everyone knows how much he frightened Draco."

"That's no excuse."

"Fear never is with us, but that's not part of who we are. It was part of him."

Hermione gave an incredulous look at Ginny as if wondering whose side she was on exactly, but she knew that her friend was right. There was plenty of blame to be volleyed between the two of them and it needed to stop in order for Sebastian not to be blindsided by it. The fact that he wanted to know his father should not bother her half as much as it did, but she was worried for him. Then again perhaps Draco was different or he'd treat Sebastian different than he had treated her due to Lucius no longer posing a threat.

"You're definitely right. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Who will be fine?" Harry's voice came from the front of the kitchen as he and Ron entered, his black hair looking windswept and untamed as usual.

He had wasted no time in moving over to Ginny to give her a kiss on the lips, his green eyes filling with adoration at just the sight of her but he turned his be speckled gaze to Hermione once again. Harry wore an expectant look on his face, one that she avoided as she turned her eyes toward Ronald and gave him a once over. He had been in the middle of taking one of the school books that was on the dining table, flipping it over open and pretending to actually be studying the content. It was highly unlikely but Ron always seemed to be growing because now he rather seemed like a giant to her even as he gave her a warm smile. The look in his blue eyes made her stomach churn in discomfort, that familiar guilt burrowing its way into her chest. It was the same adoration Harry showed Ginny and Hermione knew that she didn't deserve it even if part of her craved it.

"Sebastian, Harry," Ginny answered since Hermione was keeping her mouth shut. "He went to see Draco today."

"He did what?" Ron asked too quickly giving Harry little time to really process the information. His eyes went to his sister then back to Hermione, now he was looking at her expectantly but his expression far more demanding than Harry's had been.

"Are you having trouble with your ears again, Ron? Do I need to tell mum to clean them for you?"

"Shut up, Gin. Hermione, you told him?"

"Yes," Hermione finally said as she met his gaze. "I did, he figured it out."

"It's about time really, Seb is the spitting image of Malfoy without the blond hair and gray eyes," Harry said with a slight noncommittal shrug.

"He's nothing like that, git," Ron spat. "He's ten times better."

"Well, of course he is. He is Hermione's son."

"And I raised him."

"_We_ raised him," Harry corrected him while throwing him a menacing look, trying to tell Ron to shut up before he started a fight.

"No, I did. Sebastian has always looked up to me, I'm a like a father to him."

"_Like_ a father isn't a _real_ father, Ron," Ginny piped in with a sigh not bothering to look at her older brother as she started stirring her stew.

"In this case it is better considering his real father is good for nothing."

"Ron! You can't say things like that hear what if one of the kids hears you and say that to Sebastian?"

"Then at least they're being honest with him, Hermione. You can't possibly think it wise for him to be spending any time with Draco and his demented harpy wife."

"Astoria isn't that bad."

"She was horrible to you when you went back to Hogwarts. Or do you conveniently forget that?"

"I—"

"Astoria is a pill," Ginny said as she offered Harry a spoonful of her stew for the tasting, his nose wrinkled which she knew meant it needed more salt. "One that is dangerous and hard to swallow, she made our lives hell our last year at Hogwarts."

"Fine, she's horrible. But I'd like to think that Draco wouldn't let her do anything to Sebastian, he has to have some familial loyalty even if he doesn't give a damn about me."

"You'd surely like to think that wouldn't you?" Ron asked with a tone of disbelief. "Once a cad always a cad, Hermione. Draco will never stop being a cad and I'm sure he'd pick his wife and her son over Seb. You shouldn't let him do that to himself."

"I can't stop him! He's of age, he can do what he wants and all I can do is support him."

"Imagine this could have all been avoided if you just came with us into Magical Law Enforcement after the war," Harry said with an airy tone that was truly reminiscent of Luna Scamander.

"Or if she'd have accepted my proposal," Ron grumbled under his breath as he had his eyes back on the book in his hands.

"Oh not this again," Ginny interjected while rolling her eyes. "You're not over that yet?"

"You don't just get over people you love, Ginny. It's almost just as hard getting over the bad things they do to you."

"Ronald, I'm sorry. I've said I was sorry a million times over, but it wouldn't have worked."

"Yes, I know because you were so in love with him. Even when you knew he was engaged to Astoria, you still thought he would choose you. We see how well your instincts worked out for you there don't we?"

It was like he had punched her in the gut that comment was a low blow that she had not been expecting. Hermione knew that she had been fooling herself to think that Draco would choose her over the girl that he had hand chosen to be his future wife. But to have Ron throw it in her face like that was like having him splash her in the face with ice water that somehow managed to drench her heart.

Harry was about to give his friend a hit to the shoulder, but he was beat to it by his wife. Ginny smacked Ron upside the back of his head with her wooden spoon, eyes in slits as she glared daggers at him. The pain throbbed at the back of his skull and he rubbed at it for a moment, not regretting what he said despite the look of sorrow on Hermione's face. For a moment he stood there in silence before sighing when he looked to Harry and Ginny to see that they were wearing identical looks of expectance.

Finally, Ron threw the book back onto the table and closed the distance between he and Hermione only to take her hands in his own and he could feel the slight tremors in them. All Hermione could feel was the warmth of his palms that soothed her fears whether she was angry at him or not because she was angry at him for having said that to her. It wasn't because he had never been supportive of her love for Draco, but because he was her best friend, the man she would love till the day she died, and still at times he was clumsy with her feelings. Pretty much the equivalent of a full grown Chinese Fireball trying to tip-toe in a china shop, some things were going to get smashed and others knocked over.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Ron whispered, he was getting better at apologizing about Malfoy without the insults tacked on to the ending.

"It's alright, Ron," she said with a soft smile and gave his hands a gently squeeze. "I made a bad choice, but it changes nothing. I…_still_ love him."

Now it was Ron's turn to look like he'd been hit in the face with a bucket of ice water or perhaps kicked in the balls because he had visibly flinched. Quickly his hands pulled from hers and he tore his gaze away to look out the window into the backyard where the kids were still playing. Hermione opened her mouth to say something else, but was caught off by a soft squeak that Ginny made and she looked over to the red-head only to get a headshake. That was her cue to let it go because Ron wasn't going to take any more talk about how much she still loved Draco when he was still so painfully in love with her.

The air in the kitchen had become quite heavy with tension that Ron cut through when he left through the back door and stalked across the green backyard. Hermione watched him with saddened brown eyes as Jean, Hugo and Fabian ran over to him only to be followed by the rest of the kids. A slight chuckle left her lips when they jumped on top of him and brought him to the ground beneath them, but she took a shaky breath that rattled with sadness before turning her gaze on Harry and Ginny.

"I'll never stop hurting him, will I?"

"You don't mean to," Harry offered with a reassuring smile. "Don't let him fool you; he still loves you, Hermione."

"That may be the problem," Ginny piped in, her eyes going wide as if she hadn't realized she'd said that aloud.

Harry shot her a disapproving glance and shook his head some, but Hermione merely let her shoulders fall in resignation as she fully agreed with Gin.

"It is the problem, it's even worse that part of me still loves him and that not a day goes by that I don't wonder how much happier I would be if I had said yes."


	9. Old Habits Die Hard

**_Flashback_**

It took no time at all for the school to get back into routine; the dark cloud that had once loomed over Hogwarts had lifted now that Voldemort was actually dead. So it only took a couple of months for the Professors and students to get back into the swing of things, in fact Hogwarts seemed like a happier place. Tensions were easily visible when it came to Slytherin and the other houses, but for the most part everyone knew that fighting would only lead to more fighting. And at the opening feast McGonagall had made it known that there was a zero-tolerance policy when it came to fighting and a couple of students had already been expelled for not heeding the warning. And finally, Hermione could walk through the corridors and not have to worry about being blindsided by a group of students with questions about the war. Everyone had come to terms that she and Draco were in fact here to just finish their last year of school, but where one problem seems to work itself out another seemed to rise.

Despite her best efforts to write him off, Hermione had quickly found herself opening up more and more to Draco since she'd found him in the bathroom covered in blood. That would have been fine if he had reacted the way she assumed he would and just ignore that it happened altogether but he didn't. In fact, they were spending more time together when they were in their room than was probably healthy. It was okay, it was fine they were supposed to be over the petty things that had kept them so distant but it shouldn't have been more than that. Too bad it became more than that the moment that Draco kissed her only two weeks after the bathroom incident.

Everything changed from then on and now they were…well Hermione didn't even know what they were. What she did know was that thinking about what they were or weren't had been taking up too much of her conscious thoughts lately.

"Blimey, Hermione!" Ginny nearly shouted in her ear causing Hermione to jump and nearly knock over one of the suits of armor lining the corridor. "Are you even listening to me?"

"What? No, I'm sorry, Ginny. I just…I have a lot on my mind lately."

"Like what? We're leaving for Yule Break tomorrow; there is nothing to worry about."

"I know, but I don't think I am going to be leaving."

"What? Why not? You have to leave, Hermione, this school can't always be your life."

"I still have a lot of work to do," Hermione said evasively because the real reason was that Draco was staying here as well.

"No, you don't. You just want to stay shacked up with Malfoy."

"I do not!"

"You can't honestly think that's healthy, Hermione. I see the way you look at him when you think no one is paying attention," Ginny said quite seriously as her brown eyes found Hermione's.

Hermione tried to avoid her gaze and instead pushed forward a bit faster through the corridor with her books pressed snuggly to her chest. There was no getting away from the red-head though because when she glanced over her shoulder Ginny was right there just looking at her. Finally, Hermione spun around on her heels to face her accuser.

"What does it matter?"

"Oh, I don't know it matters because he has a _fiancé_. She's short, brunette, and bitchy. Ring any bells?"

"That's an arranged marriage; he doesn't _want_ to be with her."

The two Gryffindors rounded a corner as they continued their way back to Gryffindor tower, Hermione had promised to help Ginny with her Transfiguration homework. It wasn't going to be in the same manner that she used to help Ron and Harry by actually doing _all_ the work so she really didn't have any qualms with offering a helping hand. But she was certainly hoping that they weren't going to talk about Draco all night because it wasn't something she cared to discuss. It was good for now, Draco was not at all who they thought he was when they were together. Ginny really had no idea what she was talking about when it came to him.

"Speaking of the witch," Ginny said under her breath.

"What?" Hermione asked before looking down the corridor to see Draco and Astoria walking together surrounded by a group of younger Slytherin's.

Hermione couldn't help the stab of jealousy in her gut as she looked Astoria and realized how perfect she was. Brunette, beautiful, and _pure_ there was no real reason why Draco would not want to marry her because she would make him a great trophy wife. She even looked the part with her long legs so perfect beneath her pleated green and black skirt, her black hair in delicate waves behind her head in a ponytail and then there was her beautiful face. Not to mention those red lips of hers so full and kissable even when she smiled like she was smiling right now. The glint of her hazel-green eyes made it obvious how glad she was to be the one that had her arm looped through Draco's and there was the large engagement ring on her finger.

It was a bit old fashioned, but beautiful due to how finely made it was. Hermione had a feeling that Astoria may not have liked it at first but she didn't have the audacity to tell Draco because even though it was gorgeous it looked a bit misplaced on her delicate fingers. A modern girl with an old-world ring, while some girls could pull it off Astoria seemed to be battling it. But she would have been crazy to say anything ill about it, it was beautiful just old fashioned. The diamond set into the platinum band was accented by perfectly cut emeralds, there was no way the diamond itself was less than two carats. Ginny had once commented that she was surprised that the weight of the ring didn't cause Astoria's wrist to break every time she lifted her hand. It was pretty and rumor had it that it had been one of Narcissa's rings, even _the_ ring that Lucius first proposed to her with and Hermione had never had the courage to ask.

Seeing the ring on her finger made Hermione rethink staying at the school for Yule Break. What was the point? Ginny was right, Draco was engaged to Astoria and by the look of serenity on his face as he walked beside her he was quite content with it. Just as the thought bloomed in her mind, Draco looked up at her as if he sensed her changing her mind. When his gray eyes found hers, she felt her heart flutter rapidly in her chest because he was conveying his thoughts to her in that unspoken manner of theirs. Letting her know that this was just a show as most of his life had always been, he was an actor and everywhere outside of their room was his stage. Then there was the silent plea for her not to make a scene because though he was not quick to pick on her there were a few times he had to in order to remain at the top here.

"See something you like, Granger?" Astoria called as her hazel eyes seemed to brighten with her devious tone. She then brought her left hand up to her chest so that everyone could easily see the rock on her finger, a slightly amused smile forming on her red lips. "It's beautiful isn't it? Perhaps I can show it to Weasley's brother for you so he can see what a _real_ ring looks like."

Ginny almost lunged forward at the Slytherin girl, but she was stopped by Hermione's hand on her forearm. She shook her head at the ginger-haired girl before turning her eyes back to Astoria and forcing a serene smile onto her lips. A slightly panicked expression took over Draco's features as he gave Astoria's elbow a gentle tug, but she wasn't going to look away from Hermione.

"It is absolute lovely, Astoria," Hermione said as she glanced over to Draco then back to his fiancé once more. "Congratulations."

"Aw, why thank you, Hermione," Astoria said haughtily as she looked to her ring once more. "I know we can't all be as lucky as I am, but you can certainly strive for it."

"Why would we strive to be spoiled, rotten brats?" Ginny asked sharply.

"Because some of us can afford to be spoiled rotten."

"That's enough, the both of you," Draco warned as he glanced to his fiancé then to Ginny. "Keep it up and I'll take points from both houses, I don't give a damn who you think you are."

Astoria looked properly flustered by Draco's sudden coldness to her, but Ginny just rolled her amber eyes and nudged Hermione's shoulder. The brunette girl had met the gray gaze of her roommate before she snapped out of it and looked to Ginny. Sighing softly, she merely made to step around the group of Slytherin's so to avoid any further arguments that may ensue if they stuck around. Perhaps it was all in her head, but she was sure that someone was staring at her as she walked away and she was almost positive that it was Draco. Then again that could have just been what she was hoping for that, perhaps he would still look at her like he wanted her even when surrounded by his friends.

It was a good thing she didn't turn around to look because Draco wasn't the one looking after her; he had already started walking away as well. Instead, hazel eyes were glaring daggers at her back, the very eyes that belonged to a very annoyed Astoria Greengrass.

Draco turned to look over his shoulder after the two Gryffindors just to make sure that they were out of ear shot before he turned his attentions back to Astoria. He reached to grab hold of Astoria's upper-arm; the pressure caused the brunette girl to shift uncomfortably because he was holding her too tight. When she looked up into his eyes she was caught off guard by the glint of malice in his usually indifferent gray eyes and she nearly squealed in fear. Astoria just barely managed to keep the sound from leaving her as she pried his fingers off of her arm and pulled it away sharply.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Draco?"

"Don't ever do that again, do you understand?" He said through his teeth, trying to make sure the people around them couldn't hear him but he was most certainly not that quiet.

"Do what? Poke fun at a mudblood or make fun of the poor kids?"

"Either. Learn some respect."

"I don't respect anyone who isn't on my level," Astoria cooed and looked to her friends who nodded in agreement.

"Learn to stomach them because I stomach you," Draco hissed to her. He was a bit too close for comfort if you asked Astoria because he was only centimeters from her face. "The war is over, grow up."

"What crawled up your arse and died, Draco? If I didn't know any better I'd start to think you had a soft spot for one of them."

"Luckily you do know better like the good money-grubbing whore that you are."

"Excuse me?"

"I was quite clear."

"No, I couldn't have possibly heard you right. First, you defend a mudblood and her blood traitor slut of a friend. Now you're calling me a whore. I must be hearing you incorrectly because here I thought _you_ were the one kissing up to _me_ so my daddy can get your daddy out of prison. Or did you forget that, Draco?"

Color rushed to Draco's cheeks, anger taking color on his face as his usually pale features turned a light shade of pink. She should not have been talking to him like this and it absolutely irked him that Astoria had the audacity to try and bring _this_ up. The agreement was not that he had to marry her, hell he was choosing to marry her more to keep his father quiet rather than get him out of prison. Astoria apparently didn't know that Lucius Malfoy had already been pardoned; he was just waiting on paperwork so he could leave Azkaban. Though really Draco wasn't surprised, she never was the sharpest tool in the shed.

"You will do well to remember that without me or my name you are still a little nobody, Astoria. Just another little whore running around looking to get knocked up by the boy with the purest blood so she can have the life she doesn't deserve. Remember that I am the way out for you, my father is not your concern your name and your pride are the only thing on the line here."

"Like I need you," she seethed.

"You're totally replaceable, Astoria," Draco said as he circled her slowly only to glance at the rest of the girls surrounding them "Any of your so-called friends here would gladly drop their knickers for me if I so much as hinted at it. Each of them would become my mistress without a second thought to your feelings because _I _am _that_ good. So remember, love, you're a nobody and you need me."

With that said Draco turned on his heels away from her, everyone parting the group for him so he could get by as he walked away. Astoria was red in the face with embarrassment and by the tears glinting on her lids she was either pretty angry or pretty hurt. But the blond boy didn't even bother to look back at the girl that wore his mother's ring, for now he was through with her and he could not wait to get back to his room. He was quite aware of the fact that she would not bother to follow because she expected him to do the chasing, but Astoria was learning something about Malfoy men really quick.

_They never did the chasing._


	10. Broken Dreams

**Flashback**

People always complained about how horrid winter was, but Hermione never really understood what the big deal was. She had always been quite fond of the scent that lingered in the air after a heavy snow. It was crisp and fresh, like the whole world was on ice and the freshness was sealed in. Any other day and she would have been happy to take in the scent and enjoy the warmth of the sun that peaked through bloated, white clouds. But she could not seem to shake the bubbling discomfort in her stomach, like a million butterflies flapping their wings to get free of the confines she felt uneasy.

Her companion seemed to be oblivious to this because he was smiling like a goof, just grinning to her as he talked about work. Words that came from him didn't stick to her mind, they slid off and she was lost to the conversation moments when it started. Soft murmurs of agreement or even of interest left her lips almost robotically, but she was trying to focus on him. Too bad her mind was back in the room in the castle that she shared with Draco, wondering if he could see them from one of the windows or even if he cared to keep an eye on the two of them.

"Hermione?" Ron asked gently as he caught her faraway look.

Hermione snapped out of her momentary stupor and turned to look at him, a small smile moving over her lips.

"I'm sorry, Ron. What did you say?" She asked with a small, apologetic smile on her face.

"I said we miss you. It's not really the same without you, you know? We are so used to it being the three of us and Harry has Ginny so I feel extra alone. So I guess…what I mean to say is that I miss you."

Heat crept into her cheeks as she blushed, but she placed her mitten covered hands to her face to try and hide it from him. A slight pang in her heart reminded her that she cared so deeply for Ron, in a way that was different from how she cared from Harry. Had Harry said something like this she would have just laughed and knocked shoulders with him, like the best friends they were. Hearing this from Ron was a bit closer to the heart and it ached because there was that large part of her heart that Draco had claimed throbbing in an ugly warning of deceit. She couldn't love them both and yet she knew that she did.

"I miss you too, Ron," she finally choked out.

The way he smiled hurt her heart because she knew that it wasn't the whole truth because there were days that she went without thinking of him. But still she was trying to just think of the days when he was all that she thought about. Especially the way that he was smiling right now, so wide and so genuine that she was almost positive that it hurt. It was alarming how easily that smile warmed her heart, it wasn't the intense inferno that Draco lit in her but a warm soothing fire that had the promise of being controlled and safe. The intensity between she and Draco scared her because she could feel the painful licks of those flames some days when he ignored her for Astoria and part of her knew that if the winds shifted that fire would become an inferno that would swallow her whole in one painful whoosh. But she couldn't keep away. Could it be that Hermione Granger had a reckless streak in her?

Whatever her reasons may be, she tried to push Draco out of her mind just then because Ron's big blues were staring up at her imploringly. Like a puppy begging for a treat, she knew that he wanted some sort of gesture of affection so she took his hand in her own as they walked. The idea of lacing their fingers together was too much for her to process right now, it felt foreign and it was just an _idea_ because for some reason the space between her fingers belonged to Draco's.

Ron's hand was pleasantly warm in hers and against her palm his palm felt like the perfect puzzle piece. It was weird to her how _perfect_ they seemed together, how he moved and she knew just how to move to keep them from hitting a snag in their movements. Hermione wondered if he made the same observations; that they were so used to each other that it was like second nature. Perhaps for most people there was comfort in knowing someone so well that they can no longer surprise you, but for some reason it just didn't seem like enough anymore.

"This place looks so different now that's it's been put back together," Ron commented as he looked about the snow-covered grounds. "You wouldn't know that half the castle had been burned to the ground if you hadn't seen it happen."

"Yeah, McGonagall has done such a good job of putting things back together before she retires," Hermione said with a rueful smile over to Ron. "I think she feels slightly responsible for it and as her duty to Dumbledore she wants to put the school back together."

"Bollocks. She should have the Malfoy's and their friends here cleaning up the school for community service before they execute the lot of them."

Hermione cringed, she could only think of Draco then but she knew as well as Ron did that the Malfoy's had actually been pardoned for backing out of the war at the last moment. Of course, Ron did not feel that earned them a free pass to forgiveness and most agreed with him. She on the other hand wasn't sure if she would condemn them because there had already been enough bloodshed.

"I don't think she wants to give them the opportunity to fix the damage they did, you know because they are unworthy of this place," she said with a wave of her free hand.

"She's right, of course."

"Of course."

"One good thing did come out of the war though."

"What's that?"

"I didn't have to copy off of you another year in Hogwarts," he grinned and Hermione laughed. "They just let me right out. I suppose being a sidekick has its perks."

"You're not a sidekick; you're a proper hero like Harry."

She hated when he called himself that.

"No, he got all the glory. But I did get the girl."

Just then Ron turned around on her, facing her in the snowy pathway around the lake just beneath one of the large trees that was stripped bare by winters chill. Hermione looked up at him with wide brown eyes, her face hot from the blush that had crept into her cheeks. That was what made him okay with being the 'sidekick' the fact that he got her? Oh, it ached for her to think that he didn't _really_ have her. They had agreed to put their relationship on hold because of the fact that she'd be staying at Hogwarts for a whole year while he would be off playing hero with Harry every day. Not to mention the fact that she had fallen for someone else.

"Hermione, I know that a lot of people think that we couldn't make it because we're so different. I'm daft where you are absolutely brilliant, but I also know that no one else has ever seen me for more than just the _sidekick_ other than you. You were the only person to ever choose me over Harry where it counted. Right here," he said this as he pointed to the center of his chest right over his heart with his free hand. "And I know that we agreed to wait till you were out of school before continuing our relationship because you thought that maybe it would be too stressful for me considering I have bigger things to worry about than you here at school without us. But the truth is that even though we're not together you are the only thing I worry about. You are the first thing that comes to mind every morning and the last thought to go through my mind every night."

Ron paused only to study Hermione's face; she was just staring at him with an unreadable expression on her face. But he swallowed the swell of nervousness in his throat and pushed on because he was not going to let his nerves get to him now.

"I know that you deserve way better than me, I come to that realization every day because you are the brightest witch of our age and I'm just Ron Weasley. But I know in my heart that no one would ever be able to love you like I do, not because I am better than anyone or…" He paused, his mind going blank for a second and all his hard work of practicing this speech in front of his bathroom mirror seemed to go to shit. "Or…because you don't deserve better than me but because I have loved you since the first moment that you noticed me on the train when you came looking for Trevor. You remember?"

"I do," Hermione said; her eyes blurry from tears that threatened. Whether they were from joy or the deep pang in her heart she couldn't really tell.

"You asked who I was even though you had just met Harry and though you did it just because you were being courteous, you noticed me," he whispered as his thumb ran over the back of her hand slowly. "I know we were just eleven and there is no way that anyone could know they were in love since then, but I know it. I know it because I remember it, I remember meeting you and I remember thinking that you were absolutely barmy and that you were stuck-up. There is no rhyme or reason to the way that I feel about you or how it developed, but the truth is that I love you, Hermione. I have loved you since I met you even if I only knew it to be love after I hurt you or almost lost you. You have been my first thought every morning and my last thought ever night for years because I want to wake up seeing you and I want to go to sleep dreaming about you."

There was a redness in Ron's face that told the tale of his embarrassment and each snowflake that kissed his cheek instantly melted. He slipped his hand into his cloak and slowly took out a thick book from inside of it. Holding it out to her, Hermione read the title: Hogwarts: A History. She took it into her hands and smiled up at him a bit confused.

"I've read it and highlighted a couple of things in there for you that I really like. Take a look," he said with a small smile.

Hermione looked thoroughly confused again, but she was smiling despite it. Releasing Ron's hand she reached to pull the cover of the book open slowly and she didn't have to do anything to flip the pages to look for these highlighted sections because the book was charmed to do so for her. The pages flipped lazily before her twinkling eyes and finally settled and she saw the highlighted words that read:

_Godric proposed to his wife Morgana at the foot of the largest tree at the edge of the lake,  
>just after the school was finished being built.<em>

Just as she finished reading those words the center of the page faded and revealed a section where the pages of the book had been meticulously cut away. There tied to a small bit of scarlet colored string was a beautiful gold wedding ring with a square cut stone as it's sparkling face. She looked to see messy, scrawling script starting to appear on the top of the page. The writing was unmistakably Ron's.

_Hermione…will you marry me?_

Her heart lurched; butterflies erupted in her stomach as she looked up from the book to see Ron on one knee before her. His blue eyes kind and gentle, but scared in some way because he didn't know if she would say yes and what was worse was that she didn't know if she could.

No, she knew she couldn't.

"Ron…I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Hermione didn't waste a moment trying to explain herself; instead she turned her back to Ron and sprinted through the snow back to the school. Hot tears slid heavily down her cheeks, they were steady reminders of her betrayal because she knew without having to look that Ron was undoubtedly heart broken. But she didn't stop running; she ran into the castle and plowed through groups of meandering students without so much as an apology.

It had taken her only a couple of minutes to get to the room she shared with Draco, but it had felt like ages. And for once she was glad that he wasn't here. So she sprinted toward their bathroom, slipping on a bit of ice stuck in her boots on the tile floor she fell harshly to her knees. The sob that she had been choking on since she turned her back on Ron finally tore free of her esophagus and it burned. That physical pain only made the hurt in her heart sear ever sharper as if adding salt to the wound.

Book clutched tight to her chest, she continued to sob and curled up on the cold bathroom floor.


	11. Push Comes to Shove

_**New Malfoy Heir**_

_Sebastian Granger, son of Hermione Granger, has been revealed to be the long lost heir to the Malfoy fortune. The Lost Boy, if you will. His father, Draco Malfoy, has sent in a letter to the Prophet confirming that he is in fact the boy's father. One has to wonder what this means for his second __**legitimate**__ son, Scorpius Mafoy. Or better yet, one has to wonder what Astoria Malfoy may be thinking now that it is out in the open. _

_Mister Malfoy stated in his letter that "I can no longer keep it a secret as I have dedicated my life since the war trying to make up for the crimes of my family, but now it is time for me to make up for my own crimes. I have a second son." _

_Now is this just a publicity stunt to avoid dung being thrown in his face before it actually came out another way or if perhaps Draco Malfoy has in fact found a heart during his time trying to redeem himself. Could Draco Malfoy view his firstborn son as a mistake or 'crime against his family'? Why would anyone want to be part of that fiasco? _

_Rumor has it that he may have told the Prophet before openly telling his wife. Do I sense a bit of a couples quarrel here? Perhaps Misses Malfoy is frightened by the prospect that her husband may still have feelings for the mother of his first son. _

_And what will Miss Hermione Granger think of her old beau's sudden need to confess such a salacious detail? Perhaps she pressured Mister Malfoy into releasing this information by suggesting he should before she does. Maybe Miss Granger is after some compensation for years of secrecy and lone parenting, Mister Malfoy certainly has the funds for it. Wouldn't that light a fire under Astoria Malfoy? Have no doubt that Misses Malfoy is going to fight for what is hers._

_There will be blood, but whose will it be? Stay tuned, readers. _

_- Rita Skeeter_

There will be blood. _There will be blood._ Rita Skeeter was as out of her mind as ever, she was trying to start a blood feud and Hermione could only roll her eyes at the idea of it. As she stared at the paper and glared at the moving picture of Rita Skeeter, she realized why it was that Sebastian had not come home but opted to stay with the Longbottoms last night. He knew that there was going to be something in the Daily Prophet and didn't want to face her after she read it. Not that it mattered because she wasn't thinking about getting after her son. In fact, as she pulled her cloak around her shoulders and headed to the fireplace she was not even thinking about Sebastian or the fact that Rita was already pitting him against his younger brother. All she was thinking about was ringing a specific pale neck of a man named **Draco Bloody Malfoy**.

Floo powder in hand she stepped into the fireplace before throwing it down and nearly shouting: "Malfoy Manor!"

Hermione stepped out of the green flames covered in ash, but not caring as she strode across the rather expensive looking carpet in front of the fireplace. Her feet left behind ashen footprints before she came to a stop in the middle of the living room. Daily Prophet still clutched in her left hand, she looked around and found no one there. Funny, how her anger could get the better of her but when it came to Sebastian there was really no limit to what she would do.

"Draco Malfoy, get your arse down here this instant!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, momentarily forgetting the small fact that he did not live alone.

"Excuse me. Who are you to come into _this_ home and make demands?"

The voice was far too feminine to be Draco's and when Hermione turned to look at the double doors that led out onto the terrace she found herself met with the cold, calculating gaze of one Astoria Malfoy. She did not look at all amused but rather annoyed and angry.

"Where is Draco?"

"I don't see why that's any of your business."

"It damn well is my business. Have you seen the Prophet today?"

"I don't read that rubbish."

"Well, you should have yourself a good read then."

The Prophet was practically thrown at Astoria; she barely managed to grab it before it fell away from her. Hazel-green eyes scanned the article slowly before they went wide momentarily and she tossed the paper aside without warning. That annoyed look she'd been wearing moments ago was nothing compared to the one that she was wearing now. It was perfect timing too because just then Draco walked into the living room and was greeted by the rather cold glares of his wife and his ex-lover.

"What have you done?" Astoria shouted at him, but as she was going to continue her demands she was quieted by his glare.

It caused her to go stiff and she just held her tongue, having to remind herself that they were in the presence of someone lesser than they were. Hermione could not bear witness to their problems; Merlin only knew who she would tell.

"What are you doing here, Granger?" Draco asked as he looked away from his wife.

"I'm here because you told the whole damned world about my son!"

"_Our _son."

"Our son, then!"

"And? What of it?"

"You have no idea what you have done, Draco! You never think before you rush off trying to mend your pride! He is going to go through hell for this. It's one thing to make me suffer it's another to go about doing that through Sebastian."

"Ever think this wasn't about you? The boy wanted to be claimed by me whether he said it or not, he wanted to know that I was proud to call him my son."

"No, you're not! You're just doing it because you think he or I would have done it!"

"Why should he be proud? Your son is a mistake, a stain on the Malfoy name now!" Astoria nearly shrieked.

"Shut up, Astoria," Draco said harshly as he glared daggers at his wife only to turn his eyes back to Hermione. "I don't give a damn what you would have done. I did this for Sebastian not for your or for me. He deserves to know who he is and he deserves the right not to hide it."

"You don't know a damn thing about what my son deserves! He deserves better than a man who would only claim him after another man is dead. He deserves better than a man who is barely a father to the child that he does claim!"

"Don't you dare. You don't know how I treat my son!"

"No, you're right I don't. But I do know that Sebastian, _my son_, deserves someone as good and decent as Ron more than someone as cold and cruel as you. Ron was the man he saw as his father, you…you are just the donor. That's all. So don't bother trying to be anything more now!"

Hermione did not waste a moment waiting for him to respond; instead she grabbed a handful of the floo powder next to the fireplace and stepped in. She turned around to glare at Draco, who was just staring at her a bit stunned.

"Stay away from my son, Draco. You will ruin his life like you ruined mine. It's the only thing you're good at."

Draco had never been so thoroughly struck down by anyone who wasn't his father, but Hermione managed to drive that knife deeper and deeper into his chest. Her words were like scalding hot water in already open wounds, but he managed to keep his composure even after she had been engulfed by green flames. It was a good thing too because he when he turned to leave the living room he found himself face to face with Astoria. The fury written on her face frightened him, but he wasn't going to allow her to see that. He straightened up and looked down on her before sizing her up with his gray eyes.

"Move."

"No. You will explain yourself or so help me, Draco."

"Explain what?"

"Why the hell you would release that information to the damned Prophet!"

"Because I could and it was my choice to make."

"No, no it wasn't. They mentioned my name in there and Scorpius'. Do you not care what this will do to our son? Or are you only thinking about shagging that damned mudblood again? Was it that good that it has you thinking like a fool?"

"I don't have the time for this," Draco said with a wave of his wrist as he made to walk passed her, but Astoria took a firm hold of his arm to keep him in place.

"Find the time," she whispered dangerously to him. "Now."

He wrenched his arm out of her grip and turned to face her again, realizing just how much he disliked her sometimes. Had there ever been a point when he loved Astoria? Yes, there had been because Merlin knew that she put up with a hell of a lot from him over the years. So he loved her in a way, but right now he wanted nothing to do with her whatsoever.

"What do you want from me, Astoria?"

"I want reassurance that you are not going to just throw away what we have for her. If you want your bastard son then fine, have him. But remember though he may be part of this family does not mean that she is."

"Fine."

"No, Draco. I want to hear you say you're not going to bother with Granger _alone _again."

"I won't bother with her _alone _again."

"Good because if you do and I even feel for a moment that this new vendetta of yours will cost our son anything then I will pick him up and leave."

Their eyes held one another for a long moment, Draco was trying to figure out if she would actually do such a thing or not. He could not deny the conviction in her hazel eyes; she was being completely genuine in her threat. Over her shoulder, he could see a picture of their son smiling over to him mid-giggle and he felt his heart clench in his chest. For all the things that were wrong with him and Astoria, Draco never lost love for Scorpius. Hell, his son was the main reason that he bothered to remain married to her because he was very much worried what she would do otherwise. There was no putting it passed Astoria; she definitely would keep Draco from ever seeing his son again if that is what it took to make him suffer the most.

"Understood."

"That's what I wanted to hear," Astoria said cheerily as she leaned up to press a gentle kiss to Draco's lips.

Once again he was stunned on how quickly her moods could shift, but he kissed her back if only not to give her another reason to lose her cool again. She was easier to stomach when she was being compliant and lately she was only compliant when he was. Though he was not surprised because his mother once told him that sooner or later Astoria was going to get the gull she needed to push him and there was no way he was going to be able to push back.


	12. Slytherin Reunion

**WARNING: **  
>This chapter is pure fluff.<br>It's the chapter an editor would say is needless.  
>But I am interested in giving insight to the lives of the Slytherins after the war as much as anyone else.<br>So read if you want, but know it has no true affect on the plot.  
>Plus...I will unabashedly admit I love Theodore Nott too much not to include him in this story.<p>

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><p>Pansy Parkinson had always been an impeccably clean person due completely to her vigorous upbringing. Her mother had taught her how to be the proper wife, always making sure the house was clean and that her husband was tended to. The cleanliness stuck with her, but Pansy was a noted <em>man-eater<em> when it came to relationships. There had been only two men to ever control her in some way, but her husband was neither one of those. No, her husband made her this large manor just the way she wanted it without questioning her orders. Trust that Mrs. _Goyle_ had no trouble using her power of persuasion.

So the large bay windows that opened up to the terrace were crystal clear in their cleanliness. The sky was gray with the promise of rain, but Pansy sat on the terrace with the tea kettle in hand as she refilled her cup. Legs crossed very lady-like, she was wearing a dark green sundress that was strapless and ended just above the top of her knees. Time had been kind to Pansy Parkinson, most people said she looked like a dog when she was at Hogwarts but she'd grown out of it. Losing some of the baby fat in her cheeks, her face thinned out and her cheekbones became more prominent. Lashes were thicker than they were back then and those dark eyes of hers held that same fierceness that made other girls bow down to her. Pansy may have been subservient to Draco in the way that he liked, but she had never been that way to anyone else. And truth was as soon as Draco fell from grace, she could not take him seriously.

Once upon a time her physical appearance matched the ugliness inside of her, but now she was pretty to make up for it. Even as Astoria tried to find a flaw or a blemish on her face, she couldn't. Astoria was wondering if Draco would cheat on her with Pansy, if maybe he would develop real feelings for her now that she was easier on the eyes. But she knew that Pansy would never, Pansy had little love left for Draco and even less respect. When dark eyes found hers, Astoria looked away quickly and nibbled on the end of a pastry as she looked out over the large garden.

The green was reassuring for most Slytherins, green seemed to be the color that brought some sort of calm. The speckles of color from the many flowers that littered the garden were almost eyesores among the sea of green. Still Astoria stared out over the expansive garden, trying to keep her thoughts away from being seen in her hazel eyes.

"So how does it feel, Astoria? How does it feel to be the laughing stock of the wizarding world?" Pansy asked; sucking on the spoon she had been stirring her tea with.

Astoria visibly flinched at the teasing laugh that left her so-called-friend, but she managed to keep herself from glaring at Pansy. She was still very much afraid of the older girl.

"It'll be over soon, I am just bloody infuriated that Draco would go against everything we have to tell the world such rubbish."

"Draco was always so good at ruining things especially himself. I think he rather likes people looking down at him so that way he feels vindicated for what he's done. Such a bleeding heart, no better than Potter."

Astoria had to wonder if Pansy had ever really loved Draco or if she had been so disenchanted by the idea of love she just wanted him for his blood. Were they alike in that aspect? Contrary to popular belief Astoria did love Draco more than anything and though the blood and the money were perks she loved the man. This was why it drove her mad that he did not love her in the same manner. Or that he may actually love someone else.

"You honestly should learn to keep him in line, Astoria. But I guess losing control is the risk you take when you don't marry the dim ones."

"How is Gregory then?" Astoria smirked.

"Well behaved," Pansy said with a chuckle, sipping at her tea again. "Like always. He loves to keep his trophy wife happy and I'm happy to let him spoil me."

"Mum," said a tall boy with black hair that was in loose curls at the top of his head. Thick lashes surrounded gray-green eyes that were filled with a wisdom that was far beyond his years. There was no denying that this boy was a handsome one, the swarthy kind of handsome that had girls thinking he was mysterious.

"Yes, Damian?" Pansy asked as she looked toward her son.

"Dad's owl'd me and said he's on his way."

"What the bloody hell for?"

"I don't know."

"Of course you don't, your father is just trying to be a bother. Alright, my love. Thank you."

Damian let his gray-green eyes go over to Astoria, they were haunting and she was gawking at the boy for a moment after he bowed his head. She was used to him not talking much to her; he didn't talk much to anyone other than his father from what she understood. But as soon as he walked away she turned her eyes back to Pansy and quirked a brow.

"How did you get Greg to deal with the fact that you had a child that wasn't his?"

"By telling him the truth of the matter. Damian is my son; he can either take us both or leave us both only to end up miserable for the rest of his life. He chose to take us, but only because he knew that I really didn't need him. I have my pureblood child; I could have lived well off my parents' money and have done my duty to the wizarding world. But when a man knows what he wants, nothing will stop him from having it. Gregory may not be the smartest man, but he certainly knows what he wants."

"It is just so surprising that he would put up with Theodore just to have you."

Pansy scoffed. "Theodore isn't hard to deal with."

"I was always under the impression that he was far more stubborn than the rest of us."

"He is, but he's easy to ignore."

"With looks like that? I find that terribly hard to believe."

"Are you looking at men that aren't your husband, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"No more than you I wager, Mrs. Goyle," said a voice from behind them.

Both of them turned around at the same time to find themselves looking at a tall man in a perfectly tailored set of black dress robes the front of which were left open to reveal the white oxford and green tie at his throat. There was something completely mysterious about Theodore Nott which was only made more prominent when you looked into his dark brown eyes. A spark of wisdom that was well beyond his years struck first, but then there was a darkness that pulled so far in you would feel yourself drowning in it within moments. Like Pansy though he had grown out of what made him less appealing to the eye specifically the lanky awkwardness that had plagued him while in school. Now he had broader shoulders and a more chiseled face that led to his handsomeness.

Astoria was just as guilty as most other Slytherin girls for overlooking him because he wasn't as handsome as Draco or at least he never bothered to prove that he was. But now as she looked at him, she wanted to kick herself and not to mention her sister for passing him up. He was the most eligible bachelor in Wizarding London for crying out loud and filthy rich to boot.

Even the way he moved added to his overall appeal because it was as if the world couldn't touch him. Theodore Nott was untouchable and that made her want to touch him more, then again that was part of the reason Pansy had gotten tangled in his web in the first place. Pansy was trying to mask her longing as Theodore approached them, but Astoria could see it in the way her mouth was slightly open and how her eyes followed every move he made. Theodore came to stand at the table, picking up a pastry off the plate and biting into it before making a slightly disgusted face and placing it back on the plate.

"I see your baking skills have not changed, Pansy," he said as he picked up a napkin and wiped his fingers then his mouth.

Pansy flustered, turning red in the face with annoyance.

"I did not bake them, you swot. Our house elf did."

"I suppose that's what you get when you marry a second rate man, a second rate elf."

Funny, Theodore reminded Astoria of the Draco she remembered from their school days. All snark, all suave, and all cunning that made girls fan themselves when he walked by. Why hadn't Draco turned out like this?

_Because Draco fell in love with a mudblood that's why_, a little voice in her head told her but she ignored it and merely grinned to Theodore.

"Oh, Theodore it's nice to see you. You haven't come to the Manor for tea in a long while."

"Astoria," he bowed his head slightly before smiling engagingly to her. "I have not been invited so long; I am starting to think that Draco doesn't trust me around his wife. And I'm beginning to see why."

The way he looked at her made her squirm in her chair, but it was in a manner that made her tingle in all the right places. Astoria already felt like she was cheating on Draco just by being around Theodore and if she looked into his eyes for too much longer she had a feeling she would be throwing herself at him right here on the terrace. His lips twitched into a ghost of a smile before his face went placid once more and he glanced over to Pansy.

"I'm here to talk to you about Damian, Pansy," he said with a bored expression as he made to pour himself a cup of tea.

"What about him?"

"He wants to stay with me during Yule Break this year."

"No."

"It wasn't really a question."

"Yet I said no."

"He's going to come whether you want him to or not. Plus aren't you and Greg going to France or some shite this year?"

"How do you know that?" She asked a bit surprised.

"I talk to Gregory, Pansy. Whether you like to admit it or not he and I are friends."

"Unfortunately."

"Well, I'm telling you now that Damian will be spending Yule Break with me."

"The hell he will."

Theodore set his tea cup down on the table and came down on Pansy quickly, his hands resting on either side of her as he propped himself up with the armrests of the chair. They were face to face their noses nearly touching, but their brown eyes were locked till Pansy quickly looked down and away. It had been years since Astoria had actually witnessed Pansy back down when she was being so blatantly called out. But she was even more surprised when she saw Theodore reach to brush the back of his knuckles along the side of her face. That simple gesture made Pansy squirm and straighten up, color rushing up into her cheeks as her eyes were bright with desire but Theo stopped touching her almost as soon as he started.

"Don't be difficult, Pansy. I always get what I want, love, and so does my son."

"Fine."

He smiled before straightening up and smoothing his hands over his robes, nodding his head to her in victory.

"Good then, looks like we have that settled," he said. Still smiling he turned his attentions to Astoria and offered his hand. "It was nice seeing you again, Astoria."

"It was nice seeing you too, Theodore," she replied and took his hand, unable to fight the smile that came to her lips when he leaned over to kiss her knuckles.

It was hard not to watch him when he walked away, Astoria hoped that he would turn around to look at her again but she knew better. She returned her eyes to her tea and took a sip of the now cold liquid, making a slight face.

"Oh, and Astoria?" He called to her from the back entrance of the house.

"Yes, Theodore?"

"Congratulations on the newest addition to the family."

Those words barely left his lips when he winked and he was gone with a loud _crack!_ Leaving Astoria feeling like her stomach had fallen out of her butt and Pansy snickering under her breath. Leave it to Slytherins to make each other feel bad for other people's mistakes.


	13. Friendly Warning

The Granger house was quiet, it was never this quiet and Sebastian knew that it was only like this because his mother was trying to calm herself. She never yelled at him in his entire life she had never gone out of her way to actually yell at her son, but even now he could see that she was biting her tongue. Hermione's shoulders were tense as she cooked him his breakfast and she chewed on her inner cheek to keep herself from talking. Seb tried his hardest not to move too much in fear that any sudden movement would set her off. Instead he sat the table sipping at his orange juice, hoping that she would just let it go.

"Merlin, it smells good in here," said a voice from the front door.

Ron stepped into view of the kitchen, his flaming red hair a bit longer than he usually kept it. Sebastian preferred him this way, looking young and rough-esque despite the very many freckles that made him look a bit too young sometimes. There was a playful glint in his eyes and it faltered for a moment when he caught sight of Hermione. Apparently, he could read her body language too. Then again he'd upset her enough in his lifetime to know when she was just about ready to really lay into someone.

There was only one way to diffuse a situation like this; he had to make a fool of himself for her sake.

"Oi," he said as he moved up behind her, one hand at the small of her back. "Let me finish cooking and you can have a seat. I've brought you a bit of something anyhow."

A moment the tall man spent searching the pockets of his robes before he found what he was looking for and pulled out a couple of misshapen bits of fabric. Hermione's brown eyes went wide for a second, confused at what exactly Ron was giving her right now.

"What are these?"

"Can't you tell? I know I'm shite at knitting, but hell I thought they at least _looked_ like hats."

"Hats? Blimey, Ron, they look like…I don't even know. What are they for?"

"For your elf friends, see how many you can liberate. I know I don't support you much in that, but I thought," Ron stopped as Hermione started laughing slowly. "Hey! They're not that bad."

"Ronald! No they're wonderful, I…" Hermione said this still laughing barely able to keep a straight face though she tried only to bring the hats closer to her chest. "It's just…they look more like socks than hats."

Ronald shrugged and Sebastian was laughing into his juice at this point, affection shining in his dark brown eyes. _This_ was what a father was like and this was the kind of man that could make his mother happy. He wondered why he had even bothered to talk to Draco Malfoy, he wasn't much of a father figure considering he was still living in that manor in Wiltshire with his perfectly _pure_ wife and son. He hadn't done the right thing in talking to the man, perhaps he had only served to drive a deeper wedge between his mother and Ron.

"They're lovely though, it was a lovely try."

Hermione's eyes were shining from the good laugh she'd had just moments ago, filled to the brim with affection for her old friend. She ignored the pang in her chest, all the years that she could have spent with him and had him cheering her up like this but she didn't. She'd given it up for the love of a man who would never truly love her back. That thought made her shake her head not wanting to think about _him_ at this moment. Anyone, but him would be so much better.

Fate was funny in the very many ways it threw Hermione and Draco back together, but in this moment it was far from funny.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Draco Malfoy stood in the doorway with his hands hidden away in those dark green robes of his that made his eyes all the more gray if that were possible. Blond hair slicked back, Hermione wished he wasn't so handsome and she wished that he looked half as haggard as she felt. The brunette stepped closer to Ron out of habit, his hand still at the small of her back before he dropped it to turn and face Malfoy.

"A family breakfast, mate," Ron said lightly, but there was a threat in his usually playful eyes.

"Then why are you here, Weasley? Don't you have your own family?"

"Don't you?"

"My son is here."

"I told you not to come near us again," Hermione said, finally finding her voice again though it sounded strained and her throat ached from having to actually push it out. "_My_ son is here. Your son is at your home with your wife. Please leave."

"We have to talk, Hermione."

"It's Ms. Granger to you, Mr. Malfoy."

"Alright, _Ms. Granger_. We need to talk about our son."

"There is nothing to talk about."

"I think there is."

Sebastian was trying his hardest to stay out of his parents way, feeling guilty already for having gone behind his mother's back. Knowing his father didn't seem nearly as important as making sure that his mother was happy in this moment.

"She said there isn't anything to talk about, Malfoy. You may as well go back home and tend to your wife. Sebastian is well taken care of here, he doesn't need your money or your name."

"Oh, but you want him to have _yours_. I hate to break it to you, Weasley, he is my son and that means he will never be yours."

"Stop it!" Sebastian said through his teeth as he slammed his hands on the table.

Hermione jumped and looked to her son with wide eyes, Ron turned to him and frowned lightly but Sebastian stood up before walking between them. He stood in front of Ron and Hermione and looked his father dead in the eye.

"Look, whatever it is you want to discuss now isn't the time. You want to talk to me then you talk to me. Leave my mother out of it, can't you see you've done enough damage? I don't want to be a Malfoy, I'm a Granger. I'd be a Weasley before a Malfoy because he was always there for me," Sebastian said this lightly, trying not to let his voice waver. Miraculously enough it managed to stay steady so that he could get his point across. "I understand that you feel slighted for what my mother did, but truth is it takes more than genetics to be a dad. You're Scorpius' dad, you're my father. There is a difference."

The blond looked to his son, his mouth falling open so that he could say something but he swiftly let it shut. Those cold gray eyes of his went over Seb's shoulder to look at Hermione waiting for her to reprimand him for speaking to him in that way, but he should have known. Hermione was not Astoria and she would not reprimand her son for speaking his mind no matter how badly it may have hurt him.

"You and your mother won't let me be a dad to you! You're so warped into thinking that I am some maniacal figure. I am not, I would have never turned you away," Draco said plainly to his son trying to keep his demeanor unchanging.

"Bullocks," Ron hissed.

Hermione reached up to press her fingers to Ron's lips, shaking her head at him and he was going to shake her off till he looked own at her. Those brown eyes he had fallen in love with were brimming with tears and he merely sighed softly, doing as she told him. Ron was always a sucker for brown eyes.

"What do you expect to do for me now, Draco? I'm eighteen years old in case you hadn't noticed."

"I came to inform you that I have procured a house for you and your mother to have that's bigger than this rat trap."

"I like my home," Hermione said almost defensively.

It was a modest place, but modesty had always suited Hermione Granger even now. Sebastian actually got a bit red in the face because well he didn't like the idea of his father giving them a place to live where he could control everything. He was about to step closer to Draco when he felt a strong hand at his shoulder; Ron tugged him back gently before meeting his gaze.

"You should take your mother out for breakfast," he said as he reached into his pocket for a couple of galleons and placed them in Sebastian's hand before turning to look at Hermione. "You should take him to that place we use to go when he was little. Remember? It was a muggle restaurant."

For a moment Hermione looked confused, but she did indeed remember so she just nodded her head. Reaching up to wipe at her eyes a moment, Hermione reached out to take Seb's wrist in her hand and smiled at him before apparating out of their home leaving Ron and Draco to each other. Surprisingly, she trusted Ron not to do anything stupid while she was gone.

Ron took a deep breath once they were gone before turning his attention back to Draco. The two men sized each other up for a moment before Draco sneered as he was about to turn to leave.

"You should just leave them alone, Malfoy."

"I don't see how that is any of your business."

"I love her so it is my business. I love her more than you do."

"And how would you know?"

"Because after all these years I have never left her or Seb's side."

"Then you're a fool, that doesn't make you better than me."

"I think it does. I think it makes me a better father figure and a better man for her."

"Spare me," Draco said as he turned to walk back toward the fireplace, but a hand stopped him before he could take a step.

Forced around Draco stared up at Ron, glaring with that familiar sneer still on his fine erudite features. He quickly reached up and smacked Ron's hand away from his shoulder, he did not appreciate Ron touching him in the least bit.

"Listen, Malfoy. If you're going to insist upon being part of her life then you can at least make an effort at being a better man. She deserves better and always has when it came to you."

"Don't you think I know that?!"

"Then why don't you realize that you're a married man now! You have a family and so does she! We are her family. Harry, Ginny and I are her family. Our children are Sebastian's family."

"I am his father! Not you or Harry. I am."

Ron looked pain for a second, but he just shook his head at Draco before laughing and walking away from him. A hand went to the back of his neck, rubbing softly as he thought it over only to look over to Draco.

"I'm only going to warn you once, Malfoy. You hurt Hermione again and you will regret it, I promise you."

Draco looked into the eyes that were burning holes into him, seeking any kind of sign that he may be lying but he knew that he wasn't. Ron was capable of doing anything for Hermione even exacting revenge, but most of all Draco could see just how dedicated the redhead was to her. If only he had been half that dedicated they wouldn't be in this mess.

"Be a better man or stay away. Your choice," Ron said lightly before turning around the corner to enter the hallway only to stop. He pulled out a piece of parchment and tossed it at Draco. "Also, you may want to keep a better leash on that wife of yours."

The parchment felt like a brick in his hands, but Draco only clenched it all the tighter nearly crumpling it. Gray eyes turned down at the parchment, he could see Astoria's scrawling writing across the top of it.

_"Miss Granger,_

_Let me be perfectly –"_

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><p><em>Sorry it took so long for the update guys! I hope the update doesn't leave you unenthusiastic for the next chapter! <em>


	14. The Art of Pain and Pleasure

Sorry for the wait.  
>Even more sorry for how you're<br>all going to hate me for this chapter.  
>Thanks to Michelle for being my Beta Reader.<p>

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><p><strong><em>Flashback<em>**

The tears came unceasingly, because they were trying to drown out the ache that seemed to make up every second that ticked past. Could following your heart be so hurtful? Yes, it could be so hurtful when following your heart meant cutting it in half in the process. There was pain there, and there was relief so that it mixed into an ugly toxic thing that stuck to your ribs making it harder and harder to breathe. Hermione Granger could hardly catch her breath, and she could hardly bring herself to believe that there was much reason left for her to keep breathing.

Another sob tore from her lips, and she felt like someone had taken a cheese grater to her lungs. She clutched tighter to the book in her arms and fell onto her side to curl into the fetal position on the tile floor. The book could have been an anvil with the way that it weighed down on her narrow chest. If only the book could crush her so that she couldn't see Ron's face still fresh in her mind. All the lines of his face cut with pain and heart break when he realized that she wouldn't say yes. The way that his blue eyes became heavy with sadness that seemed to seep down to her very bones to leave her exposed and raw.

This was her greatest sin wasn't it? She had taken the heart of a boy she loved so much and just threw it away.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"Hermione, open the door. What's happened? What's the matter?"

That voice was one that she could never forget, because she had heard it whisper sweet nothings in her ear and felt the caress of that breath on the skin of her neck. Just thinking about what his voice could do to her, and even through the ice that had pricked at her heart, she could feel the warmth of his voice. A beacon of hope - even though the ache flared and the self-hatred burned hotter in that second.

"Hermione," Draco pleaded with her through the door of their bathroom. "Let me in."

The worry that edged his voice made her heart swell because perhaps she had made the right choice in telling Ronald that she couldn't marry him. If Draco could pull such a reaction from her just by saying her name, then there must be something between the two of them.

Hermione slowly sat up and wiped at her eyes, trying to remove any tears that clung to her lashes. No amount of rubbing to her eyes would get the puffiness out of them, but she looked to the book in her arms and sighed gently. She took out her wand to shrink it down so that it would fit into the pocket of her jeans. There was no way she was going to let him see what happened or tell him what she had done for him.

No, because the boy she had once known would find great pleasure in winning her away from an old adversary as if she were a prize to be won. He was supposed to be a new man now, a better man. Hermione would do anything in her power to make that transition easier for him, because Merlin only knew how hard it was for him.

Once she managed to gather herself up a bit more, Hermione moved to the door and unlocked it. Draco had been leaning against the door frame so hard that he almost fell forward when the door opened, and he looked to her with those grey eyes of his. They were the windows to his soul, and he was completely on display for her when he kept her gaze. She did love him so; so much so that her heavy heart lightened, even when his eyes filled with worry, and she couldn't help herself as she reached up to cup his cheek.

"What's the matter, Hermione? You look troubled."

"Ronald came by; we had a bit of a spat."

_Bit of a spat_. As if she had not just torn his heart out and thrown it back at him. There was no way that she could tell Draco what she had done; not yet.

"What about?" Draco asked as he reached to tuck some of her dark hair behind her ear.

"I told him that I would not be spending Christmas with them at the Burrow."

There was a smirk tugging at the ends of his lips, and it almost made her want to smack him; but when he grinned it eased that sudden urge, and she just reached up to press her lips to his in a chaste kiss.

Whatever chastity may have been poured into that kiss, it was met with fervor and passion. Draco was all heat and lustful intent in the way that he touched her, his hands at her hips and his long fingers bunching up at her backside, gripping her to the point that it almost hurt. Hermione was unable to help herself as she pressed closer to him so that they were chest to chest now.

Of course, she should have expected that he would turn something that was meant to be chaste into something that left her panting.

Draco slid his nose along hers affectionately, and he was breathless as he studied her face, tracing his fingers along the fullness of her mouth. There was affection written on every line of his face as if he was beholding his favorite piece of art, and she felt her chest tighten that he might actually think that she was such a thing.

If she were a piece of art, then she was being reformed by his hands as they slid up the back of her shirt. The feeling of his warm fingertips on her back made her arch into him. The way that he traced her spine made her feel like a slab of marble that was being formed by a sculptor's fingers. She was his to do with what he wished, and he would force her to take any form he wanted.

Something naked and open that only gave way for the pressure of his fingers - so he pressed deeper into her skin, and Hermione felt herself being peeled apart layer by layer. Everything being stripped away; the anguish and the doubt were the first to go. She became what Draco needed, and in that moment he needed a kiss that made her knees quake and her world crumble onto those lips. And those lips rebuilt it so that she was a shrine to him.

How did he manage to do that? How could anyone?


	15. Promises, Promises

_Miss Granger,_

_Let me be perfectly clear about how this will be tended to: you will leave my husband and my family alone, take your bastard son, and keep the little life that you and he have together. My husband may not feel it appropriate to pay you off so that you will disappear, but I am far more willing to stoop to such levels. His pride gets in the way of his mind, and I cannot afford to let you or your son ruin what I have worked so hard to achieve._

_As a woman, you should be all too willing and all too aware of how hard it is to keep a family when there are so many things going against you. So, I offer you the simple offer of galleons that will keep your son comfortable for the rest of his life. As a mother, there should be nothing you want more than your son's happiness, right? This way your beloved Sebastian gets everything that he needs, and you will never have to see my husband again._

_I know you are a very smart woman, Miss Granger. Take this deal, and let us be done with this, or you may find that I have my ways of getting what I want that are not so nice._

_Sincerely,_

_A.M._

_. . . . . . ._

Sebastian wasn't sure what to do about it anymore. Part of him wanted his father to be part of his life, and another part of him knew that it wouldn't change a thing. All of his life he had never bothered to wonder where his father was, because he had never been left to feel like he was fatherless. Ron and Harry had been there for him since the day that he was born, and they never left him feeling like he couldn't go to them for anything that he needed.

They were all he needed.

But they were not his father, not really.

A sigh passed his lips as he continued to swing back and forth with his fingers holding the chains that held him up. The swing set at the Burrow was not magical; Harry had constructed it when Sebastian was little and far before any of his kids were born. It was a monument to the fact that Harry had always wanted children of his own and that he had always thought of Sebastian as family. Swinging brought the boy some peace of mind, and it helped soothe the ever-churning thoughts in his head with the soft creak of the chain on the hooks.

"You alright, big brother?"

The reverie shattered to pieces at the sound of that voice, and Sebastian turned his browneyes to look at the girl that was talking to him. As always, the first things he noticed about her were her eyes, because they were wide and the color of sunshine glittering through aglass of butterbeer, warm amber with flecks of gold. Then there were the freckles that littered her cheekbones and her nose adding cuteness to her already pretty face. Her red hair was wavy and it moved into her face when a slight breeze past them, but Jean didn't care she merely brushed it aside and smiled delicately at Sebastian.

He realized then that he might have to fight boys off of her soon. Be a real big brother.

"I'm just thinking, Jean."

"About your dad?" she asked.

"He's not my dad," Sebastian snapped before sighing softly and trying to soften his voice. "He's not my dad."

"Of course, he is. Saying that he's your dad isn't saying that my dad isn't your dad, too."

Jean moved to the swing next to Sebastian's and sat down, slowly propelling herself back and then releasing so she started that pendulum movement. Sebastian craned his neck slightly to watch her for a moment because he wasn't sure what to say to that. It made perfect sense and yet he wasn't sure how.

"Your mum is my mum even though she's not really. I think of her as my mum, she's always been good to me, even after mum died."

"She loves you; of course she's going to be good to you."

"She loves me, yeah, but she loves my dad. That's why I say that the thing my dad and your dad have in common is that they love your mum. At least that's what dad said. So, if he can love your mum, then he has to love you. You are part of her, after all."

Sebastian studied her for a moment, and he smiled, because he couldn't help it. There was something sweet about Jean that didn't leave a bitter after taste in his mouth. She reminded him so much of her mother, because Susan had been so understanding even when Ron ran to Hermione's side when she needed him. Susan had never treated Sebastian like he was anything other than family, and when his mum was at work she often took him out with the children so that he wouldn't feel left out. Hermione and Susan had been friends, because it was evident that Ron had loved them very differently.

Jean was the same way. She knew that her father loved her mother differently than he loved Hermione, and she didn't judge; she just understood.

"When did you get so smart?"

The golden-eyed girl scoffed at him playfully, flipping her radiant hair over her shoulder theatrically and grinned at him. She was a Weasley, and it was evident in the way that she smiled, because she looked like Ginny.

"I've always been this smart; you've just never listened to me before."

"Merlin, am I an idiot for that."

"You most definitely are."

Jean giggled gently when Sebastian interrupted her path as he swung to the side and bumped her, squealing when she was sent off course, body jerking to and fro before she slowed down enough to use her feet to slow her to a stop, and she merely smiled over to Sebastian.

"You know you're going to be okay, don't you?"

That question startled him slightly, because he had been wondering the same thing somewhere in the back of his mind.

"I don't know."

"Of course you do, silly. Life is too short for you to let this be the end of you."

Sebastian cringed lightly before looking over to Jean with a sympathetic glint in his eyes.

"How is Fabian doing?"

"Not good. The Healers say that he won't be leaving St. Mungo's any time soon, if ever again."

"I'm sorry, Jean."

"It's okay, he's happy."

But it wasn't okay. He could tell by the way she stared up at the sky looking for the answersto whatever questions went through her head in that moment. First she had lost her mother, and now she might be losing her brother before he even had a chance to live. He was going to be seven years old this year, and Merlin only knew if he would live long enough to see that birthday.

"I kind of don't want to go back to school."

"I don't think Fabian would appreciate seeing you every day, I think he was starting to like the idea of being an only child while you and Hugo go to school."

Jean chuckled softly and looked to Sebastian. "I just don't want to miss a moment with him."

"I know."

"Can you promise me something, Bastian?"

"Sure."

"Try to get to know your dad without worrying about what your mum or my dad think, okay? And your little brother, too. Don't let anything or anyone stop you."

He wanted to argue, but how could he? Sebastian took a deep breath and merely nodded his head.

"I promise."

Silence passed between them until Jean jumped from her swing and held out her hand to him. Sebastian looked up to her, and he wondered how anyone her age could deal with half the things that she had to deal with. Finding out about his father didn't seem like such a big deal when someone he cared about was dying. It wasn't a big deal, but the promise he made to a desperate little girl that was looking for something good in life was a very big deal. He would have to keep it.

"Take me to the hospital?"

"Anything for you, princess."

He grinned when she did, gripping her hand and apparating on the spot.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**I'm a bit disturbed by the reviews I've gotten lately.  
>Mostly because there is a lot of Hermione and Ron hate.<br>Hurts my heart, but if it riles you up then I take that as a compliment.  
>If you hate it so much you can't stop reading that's a win for me.<p>

Let's take a moment to thank my amazing beta reader.  
>Michelle, you're awesome.<p>

Don't get your hopes up guys, I won't be updating every day.  
>Thanks for reading so far!<p>

P.S. Do people still want Astoria to cheat on Draco?

P.P.S. What else would you like to see aside from Ron's death?  
>Cause that shit ain't happening.<p> 


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